This LP is as good as current “greatly inspired by classics” IDM gets, because Seph rebrands the dusty futuristic aesthetics of acts like The Black Dog or B12 to turn them into incredibly polished and smooth soundscapes, creating tunes that now sound like they come from 3024 just like the classics did when they came out thirty years ago.
Drawing from breakbeat inspired beats and 90s IDM classics
If you were currently starving for some ’90s IDM done in a modern and refreshing fashion, then I may have the solution to your insatiable desire. Well, not me specifically, but Seph (aka Sebastián Galante) most definitely does with Séptimo Sentido. This LP is as good as current “greatly inspired by classics” IDM gets, because Seph rebrands the dusty futuristic aesthetics of acts like The Black Dog or B12 to turn them into incredibly polished and smooth soundscapes, creating tunes that now sound like they come from 3024 just like the classics did when they came out thirty years ago.
The knowledge of said thirty years is pretty evident on this record, as Seph’s rhythms are far busier than most of those classic LPs’, considering that instead of relying on common electro or techno grooves, he often draws from breakbeat inspired beats; none of these are truly breakbeats you’d ravage from a coarse 12″ in a thrift store, as everything about this album is so incredibly polished and clean, expansive sounding you could also say.
Aside from the sound of the record being pretty fantastic, there’s also the fact that these tunes actually rock. Despite the really homogenous palette of the LP, almost every track seems to stand out from the pack, as each has its own memorable moment or opts for a different approach with its progression. It’s also rather fantastic how well this track list is assembled, as even the tracks that don’t really try to impress always offer a really pleasant break or a more atmospheric moment to make the whole LP smoother.
It really does seem like Seph checks every box for what makes a record like this so great, because, truly, this isn’t a type of album that can impress thanks to its ideas, so you’d better make sure the execution is flawless if you don’t want to end up in the sea of forgettable vintage IDM records that come out. And, again, Seph sails effortlessly in that sea, there is so much care and attention to detail in these tunes that it’s seriously impressive how well crafted they are.
“OBI” opens things up excellently, as it has one of the most satisfying beats on the whole record. Every one of those accents on 2 and 4 sounds incredibly crisp, they’re so satisfying just by themselves that the track’s beat would make it a winner already. On top of that, there’s also the fact that the dynamics of the synth sweeps are really amazing, they give the track that huge, gigantic sense of spaciousness that is what makes it feel so immersive and futuristic.
Following up, “Azure” opts to be the most futuristic big beat piece you’ve ever heard, as instead of making things rough and rusty to match its fat kicks, this tune effortlessly blends in its booming bass with super slick and purely digital manipulation of vocal chops. They’re not some kind of refrain or hook like you would actually find in some ’90s big beat tunes, they’re completely unintelligible and fly in and out constantly to really give this piece its slick edge.
“Skyway Shuriken” is also noteworthy, as are most tracks on this album really, but this one in particular has truly spectacular beats. The drum programming is really intricate and fast, not quite drill and bass levels of dizzying, but it is incredibly exciting indeed. The monstrous bass also makes the tune super strong, it gives the frantic breaks that extra weight that they benefit from so greatly.
All of these tracks have a lot of details thrown into them, those tiny little variations that don’t blow your mind, but make the pieces engaging in every second, given there’s always something to shift your attention towards. Seph also seems to be a fan of switching things up, as it happens often that halfway through the tracks he either introduces a new major component to give them a new feel, or they just change direction completely, abandoning what has been built up until that moment.
Teleporting you into some kind of futuristic fantasy land ::
And, although it’s always satisfying when that happens, no track pulls it off as well as the one-two of “Polycrom” and “Dragonscale.” “Polycrom” especially, as it starts off as a seemingly innocent looped beat that isn’t even that engaging; there is some progression, some notable acid squelches that don’t really make an appearance elsewhere on the album, but this first minute and a half is utilized mostly to establish a mood so that it can be demolished in a mind-blowing manner. And that indeed happens, as the piece suddenly shifts into this vast open soundscape, the best on the entire record; the reverb on the synthesizers is absolutely stellar, and I absolutely adore how only in the right channel there’s another synth that is slowly decaying, almost to suggest that what you’re hearing is going in that direction and getting farther away. The piece builds back up really quickly, yet incredibly smoothly, as it brings back the details first so that you almost don’t notice them, and only then is it ready to explode once more with its beat, creating a gradual yet swift jump back into its energetic part.
“Dragonscale” is similar in this aspect, as halfway in it decides to teleport you into some kind of futuristic fantasy land. It pulls it off so effectively because, once more, every new element that gets introduced sounds absolutely amazing, so much so that it can have this “Wow” effect instantaneously.
The album doesn’t ever cease to impress. It’s one of those records that has such solid fundamentals and such a great sound that it’s completely irrelevant whether it is innovative or not. These tunes are so well made that they’re just fantastic, and that’s it.
Seph clearly showcases a lot of attention to detail, some great transitions, some great pacing too, as it’s hard to get tired of this album despite its monochromatic aesthetic. If anything, being able to make a record like this and with these great of results shows a lot of talent; this isn’t an LP that relies on some nifty tricks or weird ideas, this is a record that thrives off of great compositions. And it is very much enjoyable thanks to that, because the songs are just killer.
Séptimo Sentido is available on Lapsus. [Bandcamp]
