2562 :: Unbalance (Tectonic)

(October 2009) I have to admit: I was wary of the new 2562 album. Because let’s face it, Aerial was a little too good at what it was trying to do. Sparse, harsh, and cold, Aerial came at the perfect time, a crystallization of all the good and bad aspects of the techno-dubstep movement. The individual tracks left a little to be desired, never truly satisfying, sounding as if 2562 demonstrated too much restraint when producing the album. Naturally, I expected more of the same from Unbalance, even though the buzz surrounding the album promised it to be more colorful and dynamic. And, if his latest single “Love In Outer Space” was truly a sign of things to come, I should have listened to the hype.

Unbalance doesn’t disappoint. It could have been low expectations at work, but I could not believe my ears during the first few minutes of the album. “Introduction” merges into “Flashback,” which is lively, energetic, and soulful. A lazily swaying drum pattern provides a background for moody, dubby atmospherics. “Lost” continues in the same vein, matching 2562’s trademark electronics with cut-up vocal samples. There’s a good deal of Neil Landstrumm influence on the third track, “Like A Dream,” which sulks across a stuttering, syncopated beat for nearly five astounding minutes.

There is much more of a garage influence in Unbalance than there was in Aerial, which is a step in the right direction. “Dinosaur” is positively frenetic, chopping up and varying the pitch of a filtered vibraphone sample and setting it to a half-time garage beat. “Yes/No” slows things down considerably while retaining the same post-garage mindset, throwing in moody chords and paranoid sound effects for good measure. That same vibe carries through to the next cut, “Who Are You Fooling,” which somehow brings together a portentous string sample, high-register bleeps, and disparate percussion elements that would be at home in an Untold production.

The pace of the album somewhat slows in the second half. “Narita” is perhaps a tribute to UK Funky, introducing bongos to the usual mix of heavy reverb and sparse instrumentation. “Superflight” even borders on minimal house territory, lowering the tempo several beats per minute, and “Unbalance” is a start-stop side-chained masterpiece. Then, of course, there’s “Love In Outer Space,” easily the best of the album. It’s sprawling; it’s syncopated to all hell; but above all it’s gorgeous. It serves as a fitting closer for the vinyl version of this magnificent album – CD owners are treated to a great extra piece of garage-influenced work, “Escape Velocity.”

Unbalance is a huge step forward in many ways for 2562. There’s still some of the old no-frills 2562 present, but for the most part the percussion has gotten more dynamic, the melodies have gotten better, and everything has become more alive and enjoyable than ever before. Unbalance is worlds ahead of 2562’s previous work, and it sets the bar even higher for aspiring dubstep producers.

Unbalance is out now on Tectonic. [Listen / Purchase]

• Tectonic
• 2562