Review Summary: Walk with me...
Kane Ikin's debut album was a master class in mood and atmosphere. But the uniqueness of its abstract and elusive form makes it such one-of-a-kind work, that trying to follow it in similar terms was not only pointless, but almost risky. What Ikin's does in
Modern Pressure is to incorporate rhythm and more concrete and definite elements to find a new expression for his otherworldly soundscapes. But if
Sublunar feels like a surreal, insular work, the new album is more thrilling and suspenseful, closer in sound to experimental dark techno than to ambient or
musique concrète. The inclusion of complex rhythms and more diverse sonic elements allows Ikin to compose richer and much more detailed pieces that give a new whole dimension to his already highly elaborated music.
This time the musical pieces are allowed to breathe and expand, they evolve and increasingly grow in complexity. The tracks are composed around a basic pulsating rhythm, then with architectonic finesse sounds are added: tribal percussion, piercing sounds, ominous bass lines, multiple aural details interact in dynamic fashion, creating a sort of ritual procession that continues its inexorable march until the very last track. A cursory listen may give the impression Ikin has abandoned mood and texture to focus in exploring more ordinary techno variants, but that is only apparent.
Modern Pressure is at its core an extremely vivid aural painting, it completely submerges the listener in its darkness and anguish. This is what makes Kane Ikin's works so exciting and sets apart from similar sounding productions, there is nothing in here made just for effect or diversion, everything sounds full of purpose and direction. The musical influences and technical means are appropriated to find a new expression for the author's cryptic, yet completely unique vision. In this way Ikin has succeeded in venturing to new territory, despite working almost in the opposite musical direction.
Sublunar is the luminous abstract,
Modern Pressure is the obscure concrete, both are sister works in which the same haunting ghosts inhabit. Impressive turnaround, stunning work.
