There’s electricity surging in the shadows. While Martin may be attributed to the open air provided for experimentation on Ligand Remixes, his exceptional collaborators including Erot, Floating Machine, Roel Funcken, Scann-Tec, Miktek, and AES Dana have helped build the awe-inspiring transformer used to send the current.
When you watch a Tesla coil you witness the transfer of electrical energy to the surrounding air as an electrical charge, heat, light and sound. To the human eye it appears to be mini-lightning, high-voltage at a low current reaching out into the ether, arcing, moving and buzzing. These branching discharges of voltage can be vast or small, luminous and white or purple and blue. Public reaction upon first seeing Nikolai Tesla’s invention must have been absolutely mystifying.
In similar fashion Martin Nonstatic’s Ligand Remixes captures the imagination through seven re-interpreted selections from the original full length. Hard to imagine how the source material could be improved upon and yet the contributing international artists deliver versions that are inspired while remaining true to Martin’s brand of atmospheric IDM. The outcome of their efforts is a cohesive collection of darker dub explorations featuring a honed balance between sub frequencies amidst tight percussion and interwoven synth pads.
A commonality shared throughout each rendition is the use of static or short sharp audio shocks. Perhaps this is a direct nod to Martin himself as an homage and drawn from his very name. Each artist that implements this approach does so with impeccable skill and personal style. It’s a commendable creative choice that enriches the album of remixes, providing a theme to a wholly new LP unto itself. With each cue thoughtfully placed next to the other, the track sequence is perfect with nothing out of place, complimented by excellent mastering from Vincent Villuis & Vladislav Isaev at Ultimae Studios.
There’s electricity surging in the shadows. While Martin may be attributed to the open air provided for experimentation on Ligand Remixes, his exceptional collaborators including Erot, Floating Machine, Roel Funcken, Scann-Tec, Miktek, and AES Dana have helped build the awe-inspiring transformer used to send the current.
Ligand Remixes is available on Ultimae.
