Beatrice
Dillon: Face A/B (Where to Now?)

This
three-track EP from Beatrice Dillon is fascinating to me. It has all
of the tropes of minimal techno with a dash of house, but equally it
dips into the free jazz saxophone skronk of James Chance or Colin
Stetson. When I listen carefully to “Face A,” there are not that
many layers in the production, but the disparity of their sounds
makes them feel at odds in a tense but good way. The fluttering sax
sprawl is a healthy counterpoint to the more metered, reliable light
kick and rims that ground it and lend it some dancefloor appeal.

Face A/B by Beatrice Dillon

But
if “Face A” is the tense and fuller track, “Face B” works
well as a more sparse complement. The sonic palette matches, with the
same chords, drum sounds, tiny rims, and affected details, but the
way the sax interacts is distinctly different, feeling more staccato
and restrained. The last cut, “Sonnier (Walk in the Light),” is
the strangest of the bunch, with a slower tempo and wobbly flanges on
its drums. It’s a nice comedown from the leftfield jazz of the main
two cuts, and as a trio the EP is a solid showcase of her unique
voice.

Buy it: Bandcamp