earinfluxion

earinfluxion

17 November 2017

Ekoplekz:
Bioprodukt (Planet µ)

Nick
Edwards’s Ekoplekz is a project that’s evolved slowly yet steadily
over the years since its debut in 2010. Many of his releases have
tended toward the abrasive side of effects-laden beatmaking, with
shrill decaying nods to dub as much as the alien systems of a 20th
century auteur like David Tudor. I was struck immediately by his
previous outing, Reflektionz, and how much it tipped into
accessibility; he finally started to coax more deliberately
accessible grooves out of his often seemingly self-propelled
electronic organisms. Bioprodukt in many ways begins where
Reflektionz left off, starting with the opening whoosh of
“Elevation,” whose bubbly 303 bits and pieces lend it a tinge of
a 90s throwback quality, though it more so exudes the timeless je ne
sais quoi that is Edwards’s signature bread and butter. It’s almost
impressive how effectively he’s managed to infuse many of the
front-loaded tracks of Bioprodukt with references to vintage Warp
bleep-ness or acid techno while feeling minimally nostalgic. There’s
something sunny in his arrangements in the front half of Bioprodukt
that bring to my mind the image of light rippling off the surface of
water, something vaguely tropical and yet it’s often tinny and
featuring layers of synths that don’t even necessarily entirely mesh,
mirroring the layered and complementary geometric shapes of its art
direction, forging new prints and patterns in the process. The
contrast between an accessible vibe and less accessible pieces and
parts is an interesting one, though Edwards deviates further left of
center as the album advances into its last few tracks.

Bioprodukt by Ekoplekz

His affinity
for splishy-splashy wet reverb works well to complement his sonic
palette of blips and skips. Some of my favorite tracks are his more
buoyant dub infusions, like the vaguely melodic insistence of
“Slipstream” and its cascade of drippy synth blocks. I also dig
“Descent”’s sprinkly syncopation while a gloomy mid-range lead
works as a sort of loose refrain, sort of like David Tudor does Warp’s
Artificial Intelligence. The beats drop out altogether on “Low
X-Over,” whose undulating patterns of muted synths have a lulling
quality, and another murky beatless groove, “Denier Daze,” to
close it out. Bioprodukt feels like an eking forward of Edwards’s
musical ark as a one of a kind. The most remarkable thing about his
releases is his consistency and singularity — his albums feel like
parts of an evolving whole rather than having significant one-off
milestones or hits to tout. This one is as good an introduction to
his œuvre as any, unusual and sneakily seductive.

Buy it: Bandcamp

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