A wildly creative vision expressed through hardware synths and represents a solid advancement over Mills’ already prolific output.
The equation is the beat: a relentless pulse
I should start with a disclosure that’s also kind of a humblebrag: Ramon Mills, the talent behind Production Unit Xero, is a friend of mine here in Portland, Oregon’s tight-knit live synth scene. I’ve admired his skills with hardware synths and drum machines (primarily Elektron kit) for several years and we now co-produce a monthly performance night at our local HP Lovecraft themed nightclub (what, you don’t have one of those?!). But I think this self-confessed bias might make me more qualified, rather than dis-qualified, from reviewing his latest release, Variable States out now on Component Recordings.
I’ve come to gain a bit of insight into Production Unit Xero’s process and can deconstruct the 12 tracks that make up this release’s 65 minute running time by backing the recorded output into the experience of watching Ramon play some of these tracks out live over the past year or two. The heart of the equation is the beat: a relentless pulse, rooted in techno but branching out into house, drum-n-bass, and electro as the mood strikes. It’s always intricate, confounding your expectations of a predictable turnaround, but never drops the head-nodding groove. Laid on top are layers and layers of pads and washes to lend depth and texture, and riding atop the sound a melodic instinct that keeps the listeners’ interest piqued and engaged.
Standout tracks on this release are “Prefrontal Filter,” which ties all these elements together with a deftness that ought to be regulated, and “Neo Drexciyan Dawn,” tying together the electro, techno, and IDM elements of Mills’ influences. Start to finish, it’s a wildly creative vision expressed through hardware synths and represents a solid advancement over Mills’ already prolific output.
Variable States is available on Component. [Bandcamp]
