From the slick environment of his websites to his stunning
graphic work, disarmingly beautiful photographs and
melancholy of his music, Sacramento, CA-based artist
Scott Hansen casts a pretty strong identity over his
work. Following a first EP released two years ago, Hansen
now introduces his first full-length album. Evolving
within the more melodic end of the electronic scope,
Tycho could well become a name to watch out for.
If the Boards Of Canada
bandwagon is getting increasingly over-crowded, it would
be hasty to see Hansen as just another clone. The influence
of the Scottish duo can be felt all the way through,
and Hansen makes a point of letting his admiration for
the pair known, yet this superb collection of down-tempo
evanescent melodies wrapped around soft-spoken hip-hop-infused
beats displays an incontestable taste for well-produced
music and a inner-sense for beautiful sound assemblages
that are truly personal. A full time graphic and web
designer, Scott Hansen came to music by chance when
a friend gave him a broken down drum machine and sequencer.
Although none of these ever turned out to work, this
was enough for Scott to set up a home studio in 1999.
The result of his early experimentations was released
in 2002 on the Science Of Patterns EP. If the
sonic landscapes were not quite as rich and detailed
as those heard on Sunrise Projector, the outlines
of the Tycho sound were already seriously defined.
Two years on, Sunrise Projector finally sees
the light of day. Despite having been approached by
a handful of labels, Hansen decided to set up his own
imprint, Gammaphone, to publish his work, undoubtedly
giving him the freedom to develop his project at his
own pace and in whichever direction he chooses to. Made
up of twelve tracks and a bonus remix, Sunrise Projector
is nothing short of an impressive debut. As wave after
wave of warm analogue sounds and sun-drenched melodies
poor in, Hansen defines his sonic world with subtle
touches of found sounds and voice recordings layered
over carefully crafted beat structures. From the swirling
melody of Dictaphone’s Lament to the
vast beat-less spaces of You Should Be More Like
Your Brother and the floating disco of Cloud
Generator, the mood is generally laidback and melancholic.
Evoking the flamboyant colours of a sunny autumn day,
Sunrise Projector reveals its depth with time,
as if Hansen was somewhat reluctant to give too much
away. Still, the truly cinematic atmosphere of these
compositions, which all appear to develop from just
a handful of common sounds, giving this album a very
consistent feel, is enough to captivate the listener
from the outset.
Although not a ground braking record, Sunrise Projector
remains a very confident debut. Truly at ease with melodies,
Hansen also knows how to apply the right combination
of electronic and sampled sounds to bring them to life.
3.7/5 |
