Sonorous is in and of itself a deep and imposing sound-sculpture—working quite well in continuous repetition and expressing bass-laden environments with the ease and skill of a true craftsman.
We need more Atiq on Planet Earth. Plain and simple. Three years ago saw the release of Fear Of The Unknown—on his own Mindtrick imprint alongside the now (sadly) defunct Tympanik Audio. A collaboration with Enk, the debut was an illustrative sonic window that pulled together breaks, dub, abstract and industrial into a fluid audio formula. Guido v.d Brink isn’t new to the scene at all, having been a central figure in the Rotterdam area as a promoter and a jungle/breakcore producer, Sonorous is pleasantly revealed on the Seattle-based Onset Audio label, recognized for their drum and bass background.
Here we see Atiq in prime form, not fully ensconced in drum and bass, but definitively revealing half-step drums and a penchant for subterranean bass. The title track—a collaboration with Tangent—sees time and space stretched within a 6-minute undulating low-end vibration and ambient propulsion. “The Euclidean Perspective”—featuring a clear sample of Membrane Theory—delivers a subdued tone, tumbling shiver-induced bass and percussion wrapped around hypnotic-melodic clips, culled from the side-streets of Detroit to the highest peaks of Mount Everest. It’s an eternal and cyclic trek through self-reflection. “Hiraeth” manifests a seemingly darker form—gritty 2-step beats, clicks and an emotive ambient harmony takes shape only to leave you breathless behind its powerful mood. “Real Life (Awaits Us)” treads through mountainous terrain, echoes ricochet off cavernous walls of mud and debris, yet there’s some kind of unknown force leading the way through this uneven path. The Red Army mix of the title track offers an abrasive drill and bass foray, broken beats shattered all over the place, true to form and function, Photek-inspired rhythms are delivered in full capacity. “Hiraeth (Aeon Waves Remix)” is a foraging, tranquil version of its original—minimized and maneuvered through a slow-motion four to the floor trove, it’s a surreal beauty. “The Euclidean Perspective (Dyl Remix), strips the original of its percussion and shimmies masterfully into ambient-electronic space, an expansive harmonious black-hole that takes you from one arching coordinate to the other in a matter of 5-minutes. An adventurous closing to a fine extended player.
Sonorousis in and of itself a deep and imposing sound-sculpture—working quite well in continuous repetition and expressing bass-laden environments with the ease and skill of a true craftsman.
