Twenty years in the making, Lapsus celebrate with this really neat compilation of slick IDM. Not always do various artists compilations have much reason behind them, but they’re always more appreciated than “best hits” or “singles” compilations; VINT, in particular, happens to also have thought behind it, as it’s not just a series of random tracks put together.
Each piece holds its own ground
Twenty years in the making, Lapsus celebrate with this really neat compilation of slick IDM. Not always do various artists compilations have much reason behind them, but they’re always more appreciated than “best hits” or “singles” compilations; VINT, in particular, happens to also have thought behind it, as it’s not just a series of random tracks put together. For starters, as the album’s Bandcamp page also suggests, the names that pop up in this record have meaning to the label, they’re not just grabbing big names to draw people in.
Speaking of names, point number two regards who is actually in this compilation, which turns out to have a really neat arrangement with its lineup. There’s lots of names you may be familiar with, like Suzanne Ciani, Marina Herlop, Plaid, Kode9, or Mr. Paradinas as µ-Ziq, but among these bigger names there’s also plenty that haven’t had much spotlight or that have started receiving some in these last few years, such as Pépe, GAZZI, or my beloved Seph, from which I urge you to check out this year’s Séptimo Sentido. The variety of artists that end up on this record is great, because not only do they provide a wide spectrum of sound for the music itself, but also because the bigger names may actually be a draw for people to discover new exciting artists, of which there’s plenty here given the quality of the material overall.
Another great point that should lead you to checking this compilation out is the material itself; all of these tracks seem to be as fresh as they can be, previously unreleased piece, of which I could not find the origin; whether they were made specifically for this compilation or they were snatched from piles of scraps I do not know, but I most certainly know that scraps these are not, because they really are fine tunes. Not to mention that the record itself is beautifully assembled, because while I may have hastily summed it up as IDM, there is quite a lot of color here; the beginning of the record is far more atmospheric, and it takes a while before it’s confident enough to lay out some intricate beats, which appear only later on. The way the initial tracks all follow one another is great, they seem like they were made to be together, despite their stylistic differences. The middle portion of the compilation is where the meatier pieces come in, and again, they just work wonderfully, as each stands out thanks to the unique feel each artists brings, but they still manage to cooperate wonderfully when put next to each other.
Pointing out highlights may feel a bit unjust ::
For these reasons, pointing out highlights may feel a bit unjust… but I’m still gonna do it, as there’s a lot of great stuff in this compilation. For starters, the previously mentioned Marina Herlop eases you into the release with the second track, a mystifying combination of glitching pianos and new-age inspired vocals over some wonderfully spacious synth pads. In not even three minutes the track present a wide array of sound, all merging into a beautiful atmosphere that really is entrancing.
Following along, the much more digital “Ca11” is another favorite of mine, courtesy of Lord of the Isles. It’s rather simple, both in instrumentation and in structure, as it revolves almost entirely around its arpeggiated synthesizers. There’s some great balance between these heftier arpeggiated leads and the lush sweeps in the background, as well as with the cheerful bassline, playing some notes in staccato to give the piece a bit more life.
It’s only with “Serenade of the Seas” (by Le Motel) that we’re introduced to percussion, and that gets amplified only in the following piece “And Everything Glimmers” (by Pépe), which makes use of scattered breaks and glitchy vocals chops, though still toning down the intensity significantly.
The following tracks fully express a proper IDM sound, with “Opsterland 99” (by Kettel) being a particularly smooth and rich sounding piece, while—as per usual from Plaid—the extravagant “Unions” stumbles with its completely unpredictable rhythms. “Unions” in particular is a definite highlight for me, as it’s stunning how the track’s first layers are completely non sensical, sounding even more confusing as more get added, yet after a certain number of percussive components has been reached the piece suddenly makes more than sense, it’s almost enlightening. “Oh, that’s what they were going for,” you may think as you still have no idea of what’s actually happening, but the song suddenly clicked and now sounds very pleasing; you could spend hours breaking down the rhythms in this piece, and would still be baffled at how each new track coming in shifts the groove into another direction. “Nuvola” (by Kode9 then expands upon the extravagance by sounding like the most intense news theme you’ve ever heard, while “Jesus Suave” from Simo Cell strips things back into a more minimalistic sound, almost dubstep-y in a way—until some more intricate breaks are introduced, that is.
Ambient style IDM marks the last portion of the release, with the wonderfully urban “Trece” from GAZZI sounding like what would be a really nice accompaniment for a night walk down the modern part of your city. Naemi also presents some beautiful atmospheres with “Ambergris,” a proper ambient track with a wonderful wintery atmosphere, while the closing “Vega” by CLARAGUILAR keeps the emphasis on atmosphere alive, but with a heftier soundscape that makes it a rather memorable closer.
Everything in this compilation gets my attention, and it’s impressive how each piece holds its own ground. While there isn’t much that completely blows me away, I can’t help but compliment this celebratory release for how well it’s assembled, for how consistent the material presented is, and for how good of an introduction it is for all of the lesser known participants, because everything about this compilation is simply is good.
If you want some inspiration for what to listen to next, especially if you want artists that may be dropping a great record in the near future, you have a full A-list over here—and maybe you could keep an eye out for Lapsus releases too, given that their eyes (and ears) seem to be spying on some very promising names, listed here on VINT.
VINT is available on Lapsus. [Bandcamp]
