Black Buildings
Neil Ollivierra has been part of the Detroit techno scene since it’s infancy as label manager for Derrick May’s Transmat imprint. He recorded his first piece of work ‘Soundtrack 313’ in 1996 for the Ferox label and has spent the time since developing his unique blend of Detroit flavoured chimes within a techno-free setting. This is a truly blinding full-length, based around 13 tracks (more on the CD) that hover around, within and beyond the gentlest of electronic principles. The opening ‘Folding Space’ is breathtaking – a skittering treble, the deepest (double) bassline and the treated whisper of an unnamed vocalist (although there are no vocals here), the percussion oozes out a deeply organic feel – human, flawed, inspired. The heart-tugging vibes pioneered by the likes of Carl Craig are present too, although the accompaniment is never really 4/4 – more a loose based rhythm section designed for home listening and gazing at stars. ‘Mandala / Toronto’ folds itself with layer upon layer of the warmest sounds imaginable, all levelled off with a kind of flowing, soul-searching patter of hiss and tick percussion. ‘City Lights’ brings to mind the work of Bola in its aesthetic – simple electronic devices emitting detailed soothing sounds that contain within a love of jazz, progressive concepts and late 70’s futurism. There are too many good tracks to mention here, perhaps better simply to say that there are no duffers (an acheivement in itself) and that this is a deeply human album of some of the richest home-listening music you will ever encounter. Sublime.
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Neil Ollivierra has been part of the Detroit techno scene since it’s infancy as label manager for Derrick May’s Transmat imprint. He recorded his first piece of work ‘Soundtrack 313’ in 1996 for the Ferox label and has spent the time since developing his unique blend of Detroit flavoured chimes within a techno-free setting. This is a truly blinding full-length, based around 13 tracks (more on the CD) that hover around, within and beyond the gentlest of electronic principles. The opening ‘Folding Space’ is breathtaking – a skittering treble, the deepest (double) bassline and the treated whisper of an unnamed vocalist (although there are no vocals here), the percussion oozes out a deeply organic feel – human, flawed, inspired. The heart-tugging vibes pioneered by the likes of Carl Craig are present too, although the accompaniment is never really 4/4 – more a loose based rhythm section designed for home listening and gazing at stars. ‘Mandala / Toronto’ folds itself with layer upon layer of the warmest sounds imaginable, all levelled off with a kind of flowing, soul-searching patter of hiss and tick percussion. ‘City Lights’ brings to mind the work of Bola in its aesthetic – simple electronic devices emitting detailed soothing sounds that contain within a love of jazz, progressive concepts and late 70’s futurism. There are too many good tracks to mention here, perhaps better simply to say that there are no duffers (an acheivement in itself) and that this is a deeply human album of some of the richest home-listening music you will ever encounter. Sublime.
Neil Ollivierra has been part of the Detroit techno scene since it’s infancy as label manager for Derrick May’s Transmat imprint. He recorded his first piece of work ‘Soundtrack 313’ in 1996 for the Ferox label and has spent the time since developing his unique blend of Detroit flavoured chimes within a techno-free setting. This is a truly blinding full-length, based around 13 tracks (more on the CD) that hover around, within and beyond the gentlest of electronic principles. The opening ‘Folding Space’ is breathtaking – a skittering treble, the deepest (double) bassline and the treated whisper of an unnamed vocalist (although there are no vocals here), the percussion oozes out a deeply organic feel – human, flawed, inspired. The heart-tugging vibes pioneered by the likes of Carl Craig are present too, although the accompaniment is never really 4/4 – more a loose based rhythm section designed for home listening and gazing at stars. ‘Mandala / Toronto’ folds itself with layer upon layer of the warmest sounds imaginable, all levelled off with a kind of flowing, soul-searching patter of hiss and tick percussion. ‘City Lights’ brings to mind the work of Bola in its aesthetic – simple electronic devices emitting detailed soothing sounds that contain within a love of jazz, progressive concepts and late 70’s futurism. There are too many good tracks to mention here, perhaps better simply to say that there are no duffers (an acheivement in itself) and that this is a deeply human album of some of the richest home-listening music you will ever encounter. Sublime.