Astrobotnia
Parts 01, 02 & 03
Rephlex
An ambitious project from techno / electronica group Astrobotnia, these are the first three installments in a series of recordings that sees them slowly unfolding a carefully construed glitchy landscape, soft melodies resting on top of rhythm patterns that constantly threatens to fall apart. Aphex Twins’ Rephlex label has released some of the most vital electronica albums for more than ten years now, and Astrobotnia are its latest grand project. At its finest, Astrobotnia is slightly reminiscent of Boards Of Canada at their most cautious. But too often, they stray into the synth-heavy territory of, say, labelmates The Gentle People, relying more on repetitive melodic structures than on the actual exploring of boundaries that makes for the more exciting aspect of their music. More than a bit uneven, then, it’s a good sign that the third installment is the best of the three. Hopefully, the traits explored here – absurd rhythmic confusion, minimal cut-and-paste electronica in an almost quasi-hip hop setting – give an indication of the future sounds Astrobotnia are aiming towards.
Rephlex Records: http://www.rephlex.com
