SYSTEM
B
RUMPCD013
Rump Recordings 2010
09 Tracks. 40mins20secs

Amazon UK: DLD US: DLD Boomkat: DLD

System is the third incarnation of the collaborative entity formed of Dub Tractor’s Andres Remmer, Opiate’s Thomas Knak and Acustic’s Jesper Skaaning. The Danish trio met over fifteen years ago and have since operated as D.A.W.N. the time of one compilation appearance, then Future 3 between 1995 and 2001, under which guise they released three albums and a handful of EPs and remixes, blending delicate strands of jazz, soul and drum’n’bass, and eventually, moving onto much more stripped down electronic forms, System. Their first self-titled album under this particular banner was published on Stefan Betke’s ~scape in 2002 and stuck close to the label’s dub and micro-beat ethic. The trio followed this with an EP, published on Danish imprint Rump Recordings three years ago, and now a second album.

While still working with fairly minimal electronic structures, the trio here step away from the Pole-esque dub of their debut to investigate much more complex and varied soundscapes and experiment with richer textures and moods. This manifests itself in a variety of ways throughout, whether it is through the aquatic pulses of opening track All or WB later on, the drowsy bleepy tone of Alpha or Stanley, the dubbey Stars, the abrasive tension of Well Blank or the pastoral and dreamy Meadow And Stuff. But B is much more focussed than these could initially lead to think. Indeed, the trio present here an extremely refined and consistent sound which, despite its many forms, infiltrate every inch of the record. The soundscapes are extremely detailed and seem to spread out continuously, echoing from one track into another further down the line. Unlike the clinical pieces of its predecessor, B is remarkabnly elaborate and varied, and continuously develop, fueled by powerful rhythmic patterns and grooves which serve as impressively strong backbone for the trio’s often sumptuous melodic themes.

It is actually quite difficult to isolate any particular piece, so intricately linked are the nine tracks here, but the angular dubstep-flavoured Well Blank or the vast scope of Wouldn’t catch the attention particularly effectively, while the deeply cinematic Meadow And Stuff, which closes the proceedings, reveals a somewhat smoother, more gentle aspect of the band’s atmospheric touch. Ultimately though, B is as enigmatic as its cover, seemingly following many tangents yet aesthetically very focussed and coherent.

The three members of System may have been working together, on and off, for well over a decade, yet their sound continues to develop in unexpected directions. B may share with its predecessor a particular vision and stylistic approach, yet it is a very different record, propelled by much richer and textured soundscapes and melodies. Whereas System’s debut was arid and minimal, this second effort is a very convincing colourful and cinematic soundtrack which sets the trio on a entirely different path.

4.1/5

Rump Recordings
Amazon UK: DLD US: DLD Boomkat: DLD