Diving head-first into Wankers United’s (also known as Thomas Lanza) most recent album, Zootech, for Evel, and we’re hypnotized by its melodic disintegration and glitch-laden groove.
Minimalistic modular compositions lurking in the shadows
Diving head-first into Wankers United’s (also known as Thomas Lanza) most recent album, Zootech, for Evel, and we’re hypnotized by its melodic disintegration and glitch-laden groove. Simply listen to “Aléas” or the blissed-out rhythmic crunch of opener “Nanolife” and its alter ego “Chug” to see how the tracks shift from raw bits and pieces to liquid mode. Field recordings are interspersed throughout these genuinely unconventional, broken, and distilled soundscapes that float across minimalist textures—see “Piafs,” “Throbs,” and “Vaudou.” Restrained and low-key tribal forms also expand throughout Zootech; transporting us back several years as artists like Einóma, Deru, Molez, Signalstoerung, Oberman Knocks, Autechre, and Atmogat are able to punctuate so well, while Lanza crafts similarly abstract, minimalistic modular compositions lurking in the shadows. With its dissolved electronics and serpentine downtempo beatwork, Zootech is a captivating listen front to back.
Zootech is available on Evel. [Bandcamp]