The reconstruction, however, is a mixture of form with shoegaze and ambience balanced against the shadow’s of sharply organized electronic noise; a virtual plateau of sculptors bending the framework of already fully realized tracks.
[Listen | Purchase] Reconstruction, indeed. Disclaiming the directive of this release in the title may in fact be the best way to initially describe n5MD‘s 10-yr anniversary compilation. Featuring twelve highly respected musicians reinterpreting their favored n5MD tracks, this is not your usual remix project. Instead, n5MD targeted a group of selected artists (hand picked as the label denotes), each with their own particular audio signature, and had them redefine these inspired pieces. The result is a smorgasbord of finely tuned musical consistency that glues strands from n5’s catalog without coming across as a rebuild of original sound material. The idea of piecing together points of view that are inherent of an artists vision is one that has inspired the musicians given the opportunity. Nadja, Architect, worriedaboutsatan, Bersarin Quartett, Ben Lukas Boysen (Hecq), Jasper TX, Rafael Anton Irisarri (The Sight Below), Boy Is Fiction, Miwon and even two new(er) n5-signings Dalot and Winterlight, offer up reconstructions of artists such as Port-Royal, Tobias Lilja, Plastik Joy, SubtractiveLAD, Proem, Bitcrush, Last Days, Hologram, Run_Return, Lights Out Asia and Another Electronic Musician. Quite a group of sound innovators who marry up superbly with n5’s emotion-driven landscape. The reconstruction, however, is a mixture of form with shoegaze and ambience balanced against the shadow’s of sharply organized electronic noise; a virtual plateau of sculptors bending the framework of already fully realized tracks. And with this opening statement, it’s easy to say that n5MD are successful in representing 10-yrs of active duty while at the same time offering something unique in terms of process. It’s all of the above, and then some; any attempt to describe this release may either help or hinder the goal of this synopsis. Let’s hope for the former, as the music speaks for itself on The Reconstruction of Fives.
It is perhaps the title of Another Electronic Musician’s recent States Of Space album that describes the concept effectively. By allowing the above-mentioned artists to create their own space within the confines of music that has already made waves over the years, the unrestrained output is spacious and reconstructed enough to stand alone. True, there are obvious points of reference, some heavier than others, but it’s when artists like Pale Sketcher covering Proem’s “Secret Knots,” Architect with Tobias Lilja’s “Blood Tracer” (audio stream below) and Jasper TX taking on Bitcrush’s “Colder” that the entire audio spectrum is covered (and uncovered, it seems). Some take the direct route with darkened beats and staccato rhythms, others, such as Jasper TX, pace themselves and allow the music to unfold in all of its subtle distinction. But the story really doesn’t end there; at various intersections, reflective and highly emotional moments of clarity are featured… refer to Ben Lukas Boysen’s alteration of Proem’s “And by sweet I mean” (audio stream below). It’s moments like these that peacefully engage the listener; like the simplicity of meeting a good friend you haven’t seen or heard from in a very long time. Boy Is Fiction offers a more upbeat pop-infiltrated gravitas (undoing the fabric set out by Lights Out Asia’s “Oh! Toronto”), recalls memories of Ulrich Schnauss’ finer moments while the classical experiments of worriedaboutsatan, redoing Plastik Joy’s “63 (She was trying to sleep, I was trying to breathe),” drops magical dust on a bed of harmonious voices. Bersarin Quartett’s “The Deep And Lovely Quiet,” a refurbished SubtractiveLAD track, crumbles in a similar vein as worriedaboutsatan with an atmospheric sincerity. Dalot’s revision of Hologram’s “XX” is an awe-inspired shadow of ambient contemplation as it trickles through a well-lit pathway. Winterlight’s view of Run_Return’s “National Geographic” is an aural extension of the original; its cascading percussion and stirring guitar-work touching a subliminal void, this new addition to the n5-roster magically stretches time with this indispensable classic. There’s a lot to absorb within each of these pieces and with every passing moment it becomes more and more clear that listening for yourself in the comfort of your own environment will yield a much fuller appreciation of these new perspectives. The easiest form of consumption here is to let the audio debris fall from the sky as you inhale the beauty within twelve refined reconstructions.
More than just a summary of talent offering a cross-pollination of genres, instead, n5MD celebrates their 10-yr anniversary by curating a collection that manifests in a way that is ultimately complimentary to the originators. With a focus that is clear, concise and consistent, past n5 music breathes new life looking through a fuzzy seventy-three minute window.
The Reconstruction of Fives is out now on n5MD. [Listen | Purchase]
