For his third Kranky album -- his first since 2008's
In Between Words --
Christopher Bissonnette built an analog synthesizer and used no other source for sound. The restrictive approach nonetheless yields material that isn't out of step with the Canadian artist's previous output, though the album is relatively concise, with no single piece reaching seven minutes in length. Gentle melodic tones, slowly developing waves of drones, and exquisitely shaped ambience remain. The entirety of "Delusions," elements of "A Deplorable Corrupt," and contortions within "Uniformity Is Undesirable," however, are more startling and unsettling than any of the darker moments from
In Between Words. "Wasting a Little Time," carrying a lullaby-like quality with overlapping melodies, lets the listener out in conciliatory fashion. ~ Andy Kellman