Once again, with his distinctive combination of adventurous ways of playing instruments, unconventional methods of sound design, boldness and honesty, Lemke has created a truly absorbing piece of music that ferociously yet gracefully defies classification. This is the work of a talented musician who constantly moves forward driven by curiosity and passion. It’s important music, untouched by trends and free of copycatting and banality.
John Lemke has been under the igloo microscope since his Traveller EP was released on Denovali in 2013. Following his musical evolution has been a wonderful ride, full of twists and turns. With already two EPs and one album under his musical belt, the eccentric sound explorer, as we like to call him here, is back with a sophomore album, Nomad Frequencies—his most exhilarating and impressive work to date. Throughout ten tracks Lemke’s heart and soul are poured openly, he’s emotionally naked it feels, more honest and captivating than ever. The textures and colors burst with life, and the maneuvers ooze otherworldliness.
Each of Lemke’s previous outputs has left me longing for more. Especially Walizka EP. Nomad Frequencies explores further the roads Walizka, People Do and Traveller had started to pave. Occasionally, Lemke wraps himself in a rich cloak of gloom and frustration before letting his signature wizardry burst in dramatically, enhanced by new tricks and an aura of new flavors, to perform celestial hallucinatory dances of release and confirm his love for sharp grooves and shifty manipulation once more. It’s a kinetic affair, seductively turbulent, artfully concocted. Elements of electronica, dub, ambient, techno, modern classical, jazz and drum & bass are on display, chopped up and mashed together inventively.
Once again, with his distinctive combination of adventurous ways of playing instruments, unconventional methods of sound design, boldness and honesty, Lemke has created a truly absorbing piece of music that ferociously yet gracefully defies classification. This is the work of a talented musician who constantly moves forward driven by curiosity and passion. It’s important music, untouched by trends and free of copycatting and banality. It will surely fill a spot in many Best of the Year lists. One of Denovali’s finest outputs.
Nomad Frequencies is available on Denovali.
