There’s is some insanely good minimal electronic and techno that has seen release thus far this year and the new deeply ambient and technical EP Still Waves To A Whisper from New York-based producer Phil Tortoroli aka James Place, is no exception. Consisting of three originals, two reworks of Move In Blue from 2017’s album Voices Bloom and ‘Names’, a rework of a live version of Living On Superstition’s ‘Another Mourning In America’, In sound, structural approach and pure emotion, the EP ranges from the slow burning internalisation of opener ‘Known Cry’ to the wry stilted techno of standout ‘Timing And Lightning’ to the rolling mechanics of ‘Vanishing’ . Like the Luigi Tozzi release we covered last week, it’s a masterclass in perfect electronic production with nothing left to chance, every sinew of sound is accounted for.
Ambient waves of synth oscillate back and forth, sometimes crashing in, sometimes wading in, sometimes announced, sometimes by stealth. The beat and percussion work is as exceptional compositionally as it is sonically while the use of both straightforward and direct as well as obtuse and abstract vocal samples and field recordings allow the listener to penetrate Tortoroli’s deep thoughts and musings.
Listen to ‘Timing & Lightning’ below. let its ambience take to you places hitherto unexplored, its spoken word leave you to contemplate and its thumping sub bass off eight beat embed itself in your rhythmic soul. Purchase a copy of Still Waves To A Whisper through Mexico City imprint Umor Rex here. Limited to 300 vinyl copies only. Highly recommended.
Timing & Lightning
James Place (USA)
From the EP, ‘Still Waves To A Whisper’, Umor Rex.
Audio Stream