A solid and rich release with the power to take you to the good old IDM-era and to also pull you right back to the present, with the use of contemporary elements.
Futuristic soundscapes and perfect fitting synth timbres
UK producer Lextron (aka Alexis Wilford) released his debut album, a limited edition 12-inch, called Trajectory, through VLSI Records last April. First off, it’s important to say that the album artwork has beautiful Blade Runner aesthetics. Sound wise, it’s a solid and rich release with the power to take you to the good old IDM-era and to also pull you right back to the present, with the use of contemporary elements.
Lextron has a talent for creating hard pounding electro beats which, complemented by futuristic soundscapes and perfect fitting synth timbres—he calls his synths “Electronic participants,”—and they make you nod on the first bar of every song. The opener, “Night Rider,” suggests an ode to the 80s but, although it starts on a synthwave vibe, the drilling elements postulate that this is a braindance/electronica release, and the second track confirms that. The arpeggio of “Double Fresh” has a Plaid-like melody progression that puts old-school heads on the comfort zone. With an awesome evil bassline and lead synth combo, “World’s End,” my favorite piece, closes the A-side with a delightful view at the dark realms of finitude.
More varied, the B-side opens with “Flows,” a breakbeat embraced by long-note sci-fi pads and dubby synths that bring a trance state. “Two Sides,” on the other hand, after its reverbing and almost ethereal beginning, takes a slight turn into pop with nice female vocal samples that join lovely pads on the break. “Good Things Coming,” with its upbeat structure and sticky melody line, closes this trajectory in a quite joyful way. If you’re a fan of Plaid, μ-Ziq, The Fear Ratio and Bicep, this is a must have album.
Trajectory is available on VLSI. [Bandcamp]
