Detroit's deep techno master, Deepchord, makes a more than welcome return to Soma after 5 years. With a brand new album dropping, Rod Modell delves deep into his ethereal sonic world to bring you 'Functional Extraits 1'. The first single to be taken from the forthcoming album. Built in a way that only Deepchord can, he transports you to different realms with lush soundscapes and perfectly processed electro-acoustics giving you an insight to the mind of the unique artist.

"Shale" glides across a field of electo-static noise, guided gently by crisp, fleeting percussion and gently warping synths. "Lateral" begins awash with waves of sound and glistening dub stabs while rolling beats acts as the heart beat of the track with a building intensity adding a sense of urgency. The uplifting yet dystopian sounds of "Mapping" spiral into existence urging you down the rabbit hole as more classic techno percussion manoeuvres this track on it's journey. Modell seeking out his roots as yet more traditional dub techno prevails via the final track, "Ricochet". Pumping kicks and sub set to a perfect pace and ambience is a perfect, contemporary nod to the time honoured Deepchord sound.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Big Roddy M back doing what he does best - the most luxurious, hi-def dub techno excursion into dreamstate bliss.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Shale
A2. Lateral
B1. Mapping
B2. Ricochet

Rod Modell, aka Deepchord, returns to Soma Records with his third full-length, this time exploring more ambient natures as he delivers his unique and mind melting soundscapes in ’20 Electrostatic Soundfields’.

With this album, Deepchord veers even farther away from the current trends in dance music with an assemblage of conceptual audioscapes culled from video-soundtrack and installation works made between 2008 and 2012. This highly unusual collection contains immersive, introspective audio-sculptures more akin to musique concrète or electroacoustic music rather than dance, and exemplifies Modell's importance of developing a new sound in lieu of following popular trends. With some tracks clocking in at only 60-90 seconds, and practically nothing being dance-floor accessible, this album represents a truly unique electronica offering amongst the oceans of artists following a similar formulaic sound. Much of the album has an otherworldly, nocturnal feeling that would sit well in a David Lynch soundtrack. Sound collages comprised of alien-radio transmissions and Earth tones melded with lush electronic sounds and underwater atmosphere. Modell's usual arsenal of studio hardware supplies the tonal food, but much of that is further processed with granular synthesis and arranged with generative-music techniques.

Pieces like "Prayer Wheel" and "Seaweed" are set into motion and left to unfold organically without interference. "De Wallen" is from the Hash Bar Loops period and is a night time soundtrack for Amsterdam's Red Light District. It audibly mimics this area's quiet uneasiness... beautiful with undercurrents of activity not visible to the casual passer through. "Trompettersteeg" is similar in feeling, with its late-night field recordings made in the streets surrounding Amsterdam's Oude Kerk. "Raval", "Barcelona",and "Rooftop" contain atmospheric recordings made around Barcelona's El Raval district (a rooftop terrace on a rainy Barcelona night, recording sounds of traffic below and raindrops on an umbrella - in "Rooftop").

The overall effect is darkly beautiful and ethereal. Metaphysical soundtracks from an alternate reality. A multifaceted listening experience that will reveal deeper layers with each subsequent pass. Soundfields that occupy a grey area where it's difficult to differentiate between electronic and organic tones. Timeless easy-listening for the techno-set, and incomparable to any other music. This is truly distinctive electronica.

TRACK LISTING

01. Driftwood
02. De Wallen
03. Lavender
04. Praying Wheel
05. Whispering Pines
06. Plankton
07. Aerosphere
08. Raval
09. Oceanic
10. Fern
11. Morning
12. Barcelona
13. Bronze
14. Lotus Leaves
15. Larger Air
16. Amsterdam Remnant 6
17. Seaweed
18. Trompettersteeg
19. Day’s End
20. Rooftop