Subtle dub extracts, instrumental tangents, and glitchy transmitted noises are more disjointed and surreal this time around.
V-Stók finds comfort in the uncomfortable
There are albums that pass through Igloo’s door that follow familiar sonic trajectories we’ve heard before, then there are albums that slowly emerge from the depths, unknowingly, and with their own unique production and audio-visual dynamics. Valentin Doychinov’s V-Stók moniker is one we’re familiar with and Liminal falls into the latter category. A whole other beast in itself—subtle dub extracts, instrumental tangents, and glitchy transmitted noises are more disjointed and surreal this time around.
Off-center rhythms are surrounded by ghostly guitar plucks and atmospheric strands, carefully tethered by vintage machines working diligently in the background. “Walz with Ghosts” and “Caravan” aptly depict Liminal‘s sonic wonder while thin melodies drift in the margins. As skeletons of The Future Sound of London are exhumed, V-Stók finds comfort in the uncomfortable. Tracks like “Subterranean” slither about with jazzier, almost improvised pulsars as does “A pocket within a pocket” and its lively Squarepusher feel.
The merge of crumpled electronics is placed many miles beneath V-Stók’s ability to juggle darker moods with a flare for shuffling instrumentation (ref. “Microcosmos”). The title track, a piece that stands alone, reaches the summit with calming static pulses and crunchy pseudo-beatwork—meandering through cavernous voids we’re compelled to walk through with our eyes closed.
Liminal is available on Position Disposition January 28, 2022. [Bandcamp]
