The burbling, self-oscillating synths may remind one slightly of vintage Tangerine Dream but the hints of Rephlex Acid Krew sneaking through indicate there’s more modern reasoning in place. There’s deft work in crafting the reverb here, reminiscent of Tonikom and the masters of convolution, Autechre.
Blueprints is the latest and sixth studio album from Si Begg (aka Simon Begg) off the perennially awesome Shitkatapult label. It powers into being with the immense, molten build of “Heat Resistant Alloys.” The burbling, self-oscillating synths may remind one slightly of vintage Tangerine Dream but the hints of Rephlex Acid Krew sneaking through indicate there’s more modern reasoning in place. “Slide M2959” has an angular funk to it as if Kraftwerk had finally managed to loosen up, come down from their podiums or bicycle saddles and truly loosen up. There’s deft work in crafting the reverb here, reminiscent of Tonikom and the masters of convolution, Autechre.
The first album Begg remembers hearing was Jean-Michel Jarre which comes as no surprise in the methodical layout of these compositions. “Evaporators” sounds like dawn at the vacuum tube plant with its electronic howls and shrieks carefully evolving over a beat like the buzz of broken fluorescent tubes. “Pressure Ratio” is a hymn to steam, with the hiss of white noise and softly droning pipe organs. “Parallel Air Ducts” approaches dance music with its solid backbeat and arpeggios but the higher minded elegiac quality of it rings through in the soaring melody of its synth pads. “Vacuum Pump (Ejector)” invokes a hint of menace with its brooding, almost dubstep beat and growling bass synth as sonic twitters flutter around in the reverb. “Energieerzegung” returns to somewhat Kraftwerk inspired—coldwave funk abounds while also reminiscent of the much reviled but personally favorite techno outings of Bourbonese Qualk. This highly recommended album closes with the solemn and dark “Resistance Is Expensive” which is the sound of Mick Harris from Scorn collaborating with the ghost of Edgar Froese or Cluster in a remake of “The Thief” soundtrack.
Highly, highly, highly recommended and a 10/10.
Blueprints is available on Shitkatapult.
