Everything and anything could be said about the meaning
of OOO (or is it 000?), but one should abstain, as Upon
Cycles is a rich enough slice of music to satisfy
the most demanding fan of sharp electronic music. Hailing
from the legendary Detroit, a city responsible for spurting
a considerable amount of talents at an industrial pace,
OOO’s Nicholas C. Raftis III remained until very
recently completely unknown to most, which makes this
first release even more unbelievable. Yet, Upon
Cycles is definitely real.
Released on the ever excellent and uncompromisable Planet
Mu, this record is, behind its enigmatic cover, a mine
of sounds, textures and beats. Comparisons with Aphex,
Squarepusher,
Autechre and µ-ziq
have already been made, yet these associations, as flattering
as they might be, are more relevant to the creative
approach than to the music itself. Of course, there
are references scattered around the sixteen tracks of
Upon Cycles, but they are so diverse than it
is almost impossible and totally futile to draw a map
of Raftis’s music journey. The album opens with
the quirky 3 Points…, which evokes John
Barry as heard through kaleidoscopic speakers. As distorted
as the leading melody is, it develops in surprising
way as a considerably slowed down vapour of drill’n’bass
takes shape. The beat appears to take the lead for a
moment just under the halfway mark while a dirty analogue
secondary melody rotates in the background, before the
whole thing eventually comes crashing down heavily.
3 Points… reveals from the start the
interesting contrast of melodic electronica, complex
abstract soundscapes and delicately crafted beats that
exists throughout this album.
Balancing elements of traditional techno, electro, ambient
and twisted electronica into incredibly tight sonic
constructions, Raftis creates here a surprisingly coherent
record. Although he remains within the same soundscapes
all the way through, Raftis still manages to present
some interesting variations, with textures and tones
playing an important part in providing interesting nuances
to his work. From the sharp beat constructions of Colour
Ballet, Next Level Of The Tree or Kichigai
Arukedo or the mechanical structure or Group
Heartbeat to the vast plains of Oments,
Separation Definition or Sleep Paralysis,
Daftis dispenses his sonic themes with sheer enthusiasm,
revealing a multitude of facets to his musical persona.
As first albums go, Upon Cycles is as near
perfect as it gets. With an impressive control over
his work and a creative approach to sonic structures,
OOO’s Nicholas C. Raftis is likely to rapidly
become a name to count on. As Upon Cycles progresses,
it dawns on the listener that there aren’t any
boundaries Raftis cannot push down, and that this album
is simply the expression of a small part of his talent.
4.5/5 |
