Ultimately an upper level smorgasbord of audible electrons that doesn’t let up even for a moment, Pyramid Transmissions have curated another top release that contains just enough energy to thrust us into Interstellar space without looking back. IC2.1 is the quintessential catalog of electro and highlights the best in the scene.
Uniting like-minded musicians that know their machines inside and out
Pyramid Transmissions’ mega compilation series returns to celebrate 21 years of forward-thinking electro and its multidirectional tangents. Highlighting several talented artists from around the globe, the label maintains its high level selection process uniting like-minded musicians that know their machines inside and out. Blasting bass and blistered braindance breaks alongside electro shards, there’s enough variation such as acid, glitch, electronica, and tangled rhythms to keep the rotation fresh with each spin.
With 40 tracks spread over 3hrs, this is a behemoth to absorb and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a dud among them. Sigma Algebra’s ghostly mood and hypnotizing drums on “Something About Darkness” are simply baffling. ADJ’s crunchy acid funk unfolds with “On Returnz” as 214’s “Collectable Memories” is an emotional soundtrack packed with skitter breaks and shuffled bleeps. Phat Chex (love the artist name) offers what feels like a classic—”Rugged and Raw” is as fluid and expansive as its counterparts and yields just as much cosmic acid and breaks.
Broken and agitated electronics aplenty, Pyramid Transmissions has set a solid foundation by which its artists are able to build upon. Trichome’s “Bite The Golden Apple” is a modular masterpiece that feels alive and breathing with its expansive sound design and tranquilized rhythm. Roel Funcken’s melodic bass noodles and flickering acid slivers on “Skovame Beak” are as smooth as silk. Kim Cosmik darkens the mood on “Electrical Storm,” and what a storm it is with splattered beats and bass smudged across the landscape. ADJ and Pathic collaborate on the downtempo fizz-fuzz low-end wobble treat “That Is Funk” as Pablo Splice busts through all the noise with an explosive drum manifesto and exploratory rave anthem titled “Psilocin.” Dez Williams returns to classic old-school machine electro on “Solar Minimum” while Ben Milstein’s slow-motion groove and rhythmic beatwork on “Ram” is a forward moving electroacoustic gem.
And yet when you thought this compilation would begin to blend together, artist’s like Automaton change the equation just slightly with “Clinomania” evolving into glittery electrical finesse—its glowing ambient field and downtempo aura is balanced perfectly. There are just so many offerings on Interstellar Communications 2.1 that one could spend weeks if not months digesting their favorite tunes. Take Veronica Green’s effervescent “Free Ourselves” as an example—this track alone sheds a myriad of rhythmic and textured breaks, acid, and mood-shifts yet maintains its futurist mystique.
Ultimately an upper level smorgasbord of audible electrons that doesn’t let up even for a moment, Pyramid Transmissions have curated another top release that contains just enough energy to thrust us into Interstellar space without looking back. IC2.1 is the quintessential catalog of electro and highlights the best in the scene.
Interstellar Communications is available on Pyramid Transmissions. [Bandcamp]
