The meditative quality of Extended Imposter Syndrome effectively adds a human touch to a collection of static-filled background noises and ultimately is a terrific way to lift your spirits.
A succinct album of subtle complexity
In the tech field, Imposter Syndrome is a sense that a person cannot perform well, cannot solve complex problems. Extended Imposter Syndrome, by Orbital Patterns (aka Abdul Rahim), is an engaging album combining atmospheric, glitch, noise, ambient and other genres—a succinct album of subtle complexity, that in fact, performs quite well.
“Utah (Extended)” opens with a field of ambient static as glitchy sounds are added, varying in amplitude. Analog percolations rumble in the background that sound like VLF emissions. The song can be listened to as a conversation, using light blips and beeps, between two sources. Halfway through the track, a strong melody begins, composed of very loud held tones. The melody, nostalgic in nature, wraps up with a veritable storm of glitches, noises and blips.
The title track begins with melancholy piano parts, which is heard repeatedly over a light bed of static. The piano shortens into a minimal loop, and continues in that form. Quiet drifting atmospheric tones emerge in the background as a very overdriven reverberant piano melody embarks. The loop and melody play off of one another, while other elements are subtly introduced. A dense, static-ridden bass part emerges, sounding a bit like the Close Encounters aural reassurance. The piano and bass elements continue, seeming intertwined, as “Imposter Syndrome (Extended)” gradually fades out.
“Ship In A Bottle (Extended)” starts with a playful synth melody, projected over intense static. Again, sounds resembling those captured by a VLF receiver can be heard. As the melody continues, a big, boomy bass is added. Distorted melodies, oddly nautical in nature, begin. These are punctuated with glitchy breaks in sound. Graceful melodies emerge, as the track more and more bears resemblance to the tonal peace message from, you guessed it, Close Encounters. Towards its conclusion, “Ship In A Bottle (Extended)” sounds spacier and spacier until it eventually drifts away. Elsewhere, as evidenced on tracks like “Ariadne (Extended),” and “Generative Curriculum (Extended),” Orbital Patterns’ circular looping textures and field recordings feel warm and secluded, offering a calm respit.
The meditative quality of Extended Imposter Syndrome effectively adds a human touch to a collection of static-filled background noises and ultimately is a terrific way to lift your spirits. As an extended vision of its original audio works—that are about a third in length each—Extended is a blissful and surreal expedition.
Extended Impostor Syndrome is available on Artificial Owl Recordings. [Bandcamp]
