Koyuki
A nice drone is what the doctor orders for putting the body and the mind in full-respite mode, but that drone should be made by people who know what they’re doing. Enter Ralf Steinbrüchel – engenderer of the most stimulating brand of electronica in recent years – and sleep like an angel, as Sustain represents exactly the kind of alleviating experience that one would want to reiterate forever, even while yawning his day away at the office.
Wouldn’t it be good, as Nik Kershaw used to sing, if every ugly face and meaningless sentence muttered by squeaking chicken-like creatures were completely cancelled by a robust juxtaposition of low frequencies - only slightly enhanced by intertwining, spiralling harmonic recurrences and (presumably) shortwave radio - that sounds as a wonderfully stuck church organ? You just have to spin this 3-inch CD – infinite repeat is a must – and let your interior mechanisms do the rest. The bulk of this music is sturdily built, the foundations never shake, the result is excellent, including the crunchy noise - similar to ancient vinyl - accompanying the conclusion of the piece. Diffusing from the speakers, this stuff is intoxicating and marvellously hypnotic. Sometimes a raspy curmudgeon loves to be caressed by a Swiss architect who’s able to generate extraordinary currents of aural bliss: this small gem definitely belongs in Steinbrüchel’s very best production – and in your collection.
