Decima Circuits: Cottage Industries 10 is yet another reminder that electronic music has a soul buried deep within the crevasses of each note—if you let it sink in. And with Neo Ouija behind the controls, they’ve once again compiled an exemplary collection that is alluring, comforting and breathtakingly envisioned. An electronic music curriculum vitae for the next decade, Neo Ouija brings the goods straight to our ears during these strangely uncertain times.
An exemplary collection that is alluring, comforting and breathtakingly envisioned
There aren’t too many labels—especially those catering to experimental electronics—that can say they’ve carried a compilation series through ten volumes. Neo Ouija (now 20 years young) has; and considering the state of our pale blue dot, this an exceptional undertaking that shifts us through 26 gorgeous landscapes and many intertwined genres that are let loose.
The opener by Beta Consciousness (“Past Never Ends”) is replete with hypnotically melodic notes and crisp beats that flutter in the breeze. “Pan Of Green Gables” by Mileu is chock full of bass laden nostalgia, its lightly brushed rhythm drifting in a blissful cascade as it eventually ripa through downtempo acid and braindance flickering. This is where Decima Circuits really sets the stage—the curation of highly skilled sonic crafters by Lee Norris is on full display with each contribution its own soundtrack. It’s the enriched melody dynamics that stand out from start to end, or as the label puts it “a melancholic yet playful vibe“—listen to illocanblo’s “Alma” as a prime example. And yet when you think you’ve got this compilation pinned down, artists like Dokun (reference “Leftover Pieces Of Thought”) exhibit a mind bending trove of jagged beats and subtle exploratory wind instruments that hark back to early Gescom days.
Keiss reimagines strange new worlds with “Behind The Glass” and its ominous slow-motion drums and dark bass line. Microscopic blips and bleeps are found on minimalArchiv’s “Mica Arc” as clean-cut robotic electro extrusions blast away on Lloyd Stellars’s “Just Keep Breathing.” An Artificial Intelligence time capsule of flowing Detroit techno and electronica can be found on Zainetica’s “Soyokaze Park”—yet another highlight worth repeated listens.
Seamingly pulling on Toytronic heartstrings, “Everything Is Green” (remember that compilation?) by Germain Fraisse is reflective and blends early IDM bubbles with creatively organic soundscapes. Elsewhere you can find IDM heavyweight Tim Koch contributing “IndustRMX,” a chugging amalgam of darker broken beats and shuffling rhythm that doesn’t let up for even a second. Otherworldly breaks explode on “Ruffneck” by Ruxpin, yet another mind-altering track that busts through bass bins and maintains its melodic charm. Headed in a minimal downtempo trajectory, Randomform’s “Radium” collects scattered percussion and dusty bass as Nike Vomita closes with “Nymphaea Alba,” perhaps the most emotional of the lot with theremin-esque ambient propulsion and a harmonious drifting of the senses—an amazing closure to an amazing compilation.
Decima Circuits: Cottage Industries 10 is yet another reminder that electronic music has a soul buried deep within the crevasses of each note—if you let it sink in. And with Neo Ouija behind the controls, they’ve once again compiled an exemplary collection that is alluring, comforting and breathtakingly envisioned. An electronic music curriculum vitae for the next decade, Neo Ouija brings the goods straight to our ears during these strangely uncertain times.
Decima Circuits is available on Neo Ouija. [Bandcamp]
Not all tracks are accounted for in this review—please explore, enjoy, and be surprised!
