German producer Michael Bihler may have made a name for himself by crafting soulful, understated house, but for his debut album he chose to veer into downtempo territory, making a record that's far more cohesive than dance music usually allows. In fairness, his approach has always been based around soul music in an electronic setting, allowing for space to drift through multiple genres. With that as a central focus,
To Create Is to Destroy moves between dub, trip-hop, jazz, and hip-hop with relative ease.
The first half of the record plays out as if it was released during downtempo's heyday in the late '90s and early 2000s, plenty of smoky sax lines, breakbeats, and reverb-soaked vocal cuts. The tone changes by "Farewell," which dials up the languid vibes; soon after, Bihler heads into more direct hip-hop on "Let It Rain," including the only proper vocal chorus. The final few tracks are closest in style to his earlier productions, and wouldn't feel out of place in DJ sets. The spike in energy levels is a welcome change, with "Drop the Boy" and "Something Like This" standing out as highlights. The quickest tempo is saved for the longest and last track "Eat My Soul," which clocks in over the ten-minute mark; it doesn't register as overly long, as by this point the hooks are firmly in.
To Create Is to Destroy flew under the radar for the most part, with only a handful of tracks preceding it and a decidedly nostalgic element -- think early
Bonobo,
Quantic,
Nightmares on Wax, and
Thievery Corporation -- yet it still manages to sound fresh. Above all it's incredibly relaxing though intricate, and the variety of styles on offer shows Bihler to be incredibly competent at adhering to a consistent vibe over multiple genres. Hopefully he continues to travel down multiple avenues rather than stick to just one. ~ Liam Martin