The three Danish musicians otherwise known as
Future 3 (
Thomas Knak,
Anders Remmer, and
Jesper Skaaning) debuted their
System project with a self-titled album of minimalist experimental dub tracks in 2002. Released by
Pole's ~scape label, the album didn't reach the cult status of, say,
Jan Jelinek's
Loop-finding-jazz-records, but it remains an under-the-radar gem, highly recommended to anyone who appreciates crunchy micro-beats and washed-out echoes. One of the album's admirers was
Nils Frahm, who included a
System track on his 2015
LateNightTales mix. For
System's third album,
Plus, the trio collaborated with
Frahm, building atmospheric accompaniment around his serene keyboard improvisations. Initially, the group wanted to revisit the clicks'n'cuts aesthetic of
System's debut, but as the album took shape, it was clear that they were on to something else. The dub influence is still present, but it's less overt, and while the rhythms are still minimal, they aren't as glitchy. The musicians masterfully blend soothing ambient waves with static hisses and measured distortion, and much clearer, more sparkling melodies than their past albums. It's generally relaxing, but it's never a safe, predictable exercise in prettiness. There's a bit of a disconnect to tracks like "Open" and "Minus" that makes the release challenging, but not in an off-putting way. The album's concluding ten-minute title track is profoundly lovely, looping female vocals along with vast, flowing piano melodies and a miniscule, clipping rhythm toward the end. Truly sublime,
Plus is
System's most mature work, and an effortless collaboration with master pianist
Frahm.