Outland has the gravitas of its album cover—that of a hybrid between circuit board and stone tablet. Listening to it intently, one feels like an archeologist of a submerged future. There is excitement, wonder, but always weight, and few rays of light down there.
Beautifully crafted and eminently listenable
With mechanical precision, Ital Tek releases his new LP, Outland, two years after Bodied, which itself was released two years after Hollowed. And much like its predecessors, Outland is beautifully crafted and eminently listenable.
Outland both feels like a collection of treats and a longer, deeper trip. The tracks all fall roughly between the three and five-minute mark, making their listening experience akin to that of a pop album. Effortlessly efficient in his compositions and arranging, Ital Tek is one of these producers who makes producing feel treacherously easy—the sounds on Outland are rich and full, each song paints a picture with a growing number on details. Singles for this release were particularly well-chosen, as tracks like “Open Heart” (amusingly the longest piece on here) or “Leaving The Grid” are just so enjoyable.
Overall the melodies and themes of Outland are quite lyrical and earnest. Long, sustained notes supported by layered pads make each piece feel important and give them momentum. Even on a short track like the innocuous “Reverie,” with its soft bubble-like flurries of tones, the sounds shift forward towards harmonic complexity until everything is paired back. It feels like Ital Tek is not looking for something sculptural, like sonic installations, but rather really the essence of the song. “Diamond Child” or “Chamber Music” show this love of motifs, and while there can be a lot going on, the focus on call-and-response in composition gives space to the several voices involved, and allow the dynamics of each piece to shine through. The guitar notes in “Chamber Music” sound way more dramatic than what they could, and that’s because of the space carved for them at that moment in the song.
That being said, the tone of the album remains dark, ominous. The beats are nocturnal and bass is ever-present. Outland has the gravitas of its album cover—that of a hybrid between circuit board and stone tablet. Listening to it intently, one feels like an archeologist of a submerged future. There is excitement, wonder, but always weight, and few rays of light down there.
Outland is available on Planet Mu.
