Cristian Vogel
Polyphonic Beings
24 November 2014
Shitkatapult
4 stars out of 5
Cristian Vogel has been doing his thing for more than two
decades now, and while its cover art might be completely awful, his new LP Polyphonic Beings sees him still
operating at a consistent level. For the Chilean-born British producer, that
level is pretty high. Sounds here range from relaxing dub reggae to harsher
experimental techno.
The eight-plus-minute “How Many Grapes Went Into That Wine?”
is the key to Polyphonic Beings. It
begins sparsely if not quietly: a deliberate, industrial-inspired military
march that, after a societal collapse of a breakdown, returns at double tempo
in the guise of a full-speed-ahead hard raver. “Lost in the Chase” continues
the experimental sonic mayhem, granted at a more walkable pace. The track and
its follower, “LA Banshee 109,” showcase Vogel’s talent for subtly layering
many different and mostly unidentifiable sounds into rich and complex textures
and rhythms. While Polyphonic Beings
doesn’t move too far into classic territory, it remains a very solid release
from one of electronic music’s most important innovators.
reviewed by Richard Krueger
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