(April 2010) Toronto based and Zimbabwe born, Solvent aka. Jason Amm further establishes his staying power in the harsh unforgiving world of electro-pop with the upcoming release of Subject to Shift. The title
is said to describe the constant evolution in Amm’s music leaving it —Subject to Shift, at any moment.
Subject to Shift comes off moodier and far more emotional than Solvent’s previous recordings and contains a lot more vocal work. A few of the tracks, such as track six, “Don’t forget the phone,” hearkened back to those dance floor days of his with a synth soaked electro beat but his dark vocals and unique use of impossible to find vintage
electronics skillfully woven in keep it fresh and incredibly
fulfilling to listen to. Amm is an absolute master at balancing those relate-able 80’s synth-pop sounds with complex and seriously dark compositions forging a sound that is all his own.
The intro comes off as the sound scape for an 80’s version of a futuristic utopia, immediately drawing you in and getting you hyped for the album . This may seem like an obvious statement but so few artists seem to understand this concept. “Loss for Words,” the follow up track, kicks in with a dreary yet dreamy sound and slowly builds into a beautifully melodic song with mellow robotic lyrics layered
over the perfectly complex arrangement. “A Product of the Process” is the fourth track and a real stand out for me. The entire 2 minutes and 30 second track is one the best examples of what perfectly executed electronic song should be. Uplifting, airy, and packed with intensity with an ending that has a great “Congratulations, you’ve found the princess” type feel to it. An endless flow of impressively deliberate and soothingly precise sounds spill forth from his Roland TR-808 and Jaguar 6, more robotic vocals, evoke a real sense of space and transport you to the aforementioned 80’s utopia. Just lay back, shut
your eyes, and imagine living in the film Blade Runner or the classic Sega game Snatcher, perfection. Track seven, “No One Should Be Living
Here” is another stand out track with a great trance vibe and, again, perfectly crafted synth work. It is always a good sign when there is not one song one an album that you could not go on and on for hours about the meticulous work put into each and every note. Track ten, “Caught a Glimpse,” caught me off guard at first listen as it felt like
it has strayed slightly from the overall album feel, coming off a bit more optimistic with a club mix feeling, but after my second or third listen to the album in it’s entirety I began to get it; it just took a little more time to fall in line. The final track, “Panoramic” pulls you back in head first and completes the album flawlessly.
Absolutely beautiful from start to finish Subject to Shift may be Solvent’s best work thus far. Long time fans will be able to appreciate the familiarity as well as Amm’s constant growth as an artist, getting better and better with time. First time listeners will get a great introduction to a true talent and will surely want to go
back and explore his previous recordings over the past ten years.
Subject to Shift is out now on Ghostly International. [Purchase | Listen]
