Deepchord :: 20 Electrostatic Soundfields (Soma)

Eschewing dub-techno for a more ambient approach serves Rod Modell well in this excellent long form package under his Deepchord moniker.

The focus for 20 Electrostatic Soundfields is on creating immersive subdued soundscapes through heavily processed field recordings and atmospherics. The press release also refers to granular synthesis and generative audio techniques alongside night time field recording sessions from Barcelona and Amsterdam. There’s even a track dedicated to the latter’s red light district in “De Wallen”—all gentle 4/4 surrounded with fractured heartbreaking melodies.

Delicate hints of previous dub techno excursions can be found on “Fern” and “Aerosphere,” both coated in a gauze of subdued cloudy processing. In fact throughout there’s a theme to the production—billows of haze hanging around in the upper frequency reaches which, in the case “Oceanic,” form the majority of the depth of field.

Kicks and bass are often placed so deep in the mix they feel like they are coming from an alter-ego producer in the next door studio. In fact, it’s this inhabiting of twilight worlds and that intangible middle space between two colliding worlds of sound that makes this release so appealing.

A few of the tracks are short yet beautiful, “Whispering Pines” in particular which conjures up distant flashlights occasionally lighting up a pine forest floor. “Barcelona” hangs a pretty melodic refrain across a long field recording from the city of rainy traffic and street sounds—including coughs, footsteps and general Spanish hubbub. Close your eyes and you’ll be back there. And if you’ve never visited before then treat it like a little free trip abroad.

Overall, a cracking release to be cataloged firmly in the library of repeat atmospheric listens—preferably late at night with a wandering imagination.

20 Electrostatic Soundfields is available on Soma.