Electronic music offers an ever-changing platform for
musicians to experiment with new technologies, and,
in the last ten years, the focus has moved away from
definite musical forms, encouraging them to develop
new structures. So, the arrival of Zainetica could appear
slightly anachronic, yet Escaping Dust proves
to be more than just an innocent journey through time.
Hailing from the suburbs of London, where he is said
to have grown up without television or car, Mark Streatfield
names LFO, Richie Hawtin,
Brian Wilson and Sly & Robbie amongst his most important
influences. Now living in the heart of the capital,
he presents his first album, Escaping Dust,
released on newly formed Rednetic Recordings, under
the name of Zainetica, which is apparently Japanese
for safety net. Reminiscent of Black Dog’s Phils
or Bolts series, this collection of thirteen
beautiful instrumentals is articulated around ten short
interludes, all entitled Insert. The connection with
both Black Dog and
Plaid doesn’t
stop here, as Escaping Dust feeds on a similar
mix of old school techno and blissful melodies. Developing
luscious soundscapes on Detroit-fuelled beats, Streatfield
revisits the sound of early Warp or Plus8 releases.
As the cover proudly establishes, ‘some music
on the disc may be closer than it appears’, and
technostalgia Escaping Dust certainly is not.
If the root of Zainetica’s sound if firmly set
in the post acid house and early electronica areas,
the result is ultimately contemporary as Streatfield
adapts his collection of analogue bleeps and waves to
a much more up-to-date context. Yet, he keeps in mind
the dense melodic characteristic pioneered by his peers.
Far from getting lost in abstract convulsions, Streatfield
places the music at the heart of his compositions. If
Black Dog or Plaid
seem like obvious points of reference, Escaping
Dust also evokes the delicate textures of Boards
Of Canada or Isan
and the crisp beats of the Transmat releases. Alternating
between the heavy rhythmic structures of Block Party,
Trampolinoleum or Blanket Denial and
the lighter shades of Inhuman Resources or
Latest Milkfloat Initiative, Streatfield is
equally at ease with sharp breakbeat-infused compositions
as with more atmospheric moments. Of this excellent
collection of classic electronica, Dripfeeder,
Drift Dependency and You Can Only Call
Them prove to be the amongst the most enduring
pieces, highlighting the multiple approaches adopted
by Streatfield. If the sonic landscapes appear at time
a tad too uniform, the impeccable production and the
seamless flow of compositions contribute to make Escaping
Dust a truly enjoyable record.
The extreme diversity of the electronica scene of today
and the deluge of records coming out at any given time
makes it more and more difficult for artists to get
noticed, but Escaping Dust is definitely one
of a kind, as it brings a fresh light onto the very
origin of the genre. Described as a prolific musician,
one can only expect more good things to come out of
the Zainetica lab.
4.4/5 |
