Ending the four-part series that began with 2014's
Scape and continued with 2015's
Aquatic System and
Scandinavia,
Samuel van Dijk's fourth full-length as
Multicast Dynamics shifts the thematic focus from earthly elements toward outer space. The effect is sparse, cold, and still, with soft pulsations occasionally dotting the frigid drones. A few of the tracks feature a hint of the wet rustling and echoing sounds from previous albums, not quite shaking off the aquatic dub-techno influence (especially with a track title like "Sonar"), but the album recalls the arctic chill of
Biosphere more than anything. "Atra II" is like a less eerie version of the type of soundscapes heard on Substrata. Other than the ticking, dripping "Sonar," the album slowly creeps back toward rhythm with its final few selections, with the loping bass and crashing echo of the title track immediately followed with a remix by
van Dijk's VC-118A alias, which makes the beat pop a bit more, but still maintains its arid atmosphere. The album feels even more isolated than its predecessors, but it feels like a fitting way to end a stunning series of albums. ~ Paul Simpson