Even though
Ø [Phase] (
Ashley Burchett) has been producing tracks and mastering records since the late '90s, 2015's
Alone in Time? is only his second full-length album, following 2013's
Frames of Reference. He's been with Belgian label Token since its inception in 2007, and his style of stark yet spacy techno fits in perfectly with the label's roster of artists including
Inigo Kennedy,
Oscar Mulero, and
Ctrls. The 11 tracks on the album are all concerned with time, space, and solitude, and they all consist of precisely measured rhythms and hypnotic, slightly paranoid textures. Opening track "Spacialize" only sparingly drops in a kick drum, and even then it avoids a strict 4/4 beat pattern. As the album progresses, the tracks seem to become denser and more involved; cuts like the jittery "Nep-tune" and the expansive "The Maze" take their time building up sinister melodies. "Remote" and "Mo_del" add some Detroit electro flavor, and then there's the manic tension of "R-Mash," which feels like being stuck in a malfunctioning rocket headed straight for a black hole. Closing track "Astyrx" is bathed in clattering echo, and seems to find solace in being lost in space.
Alone in Time? is an exceptional album that establishes itself as proper, pounding techno before driving to the outer limits.