- Around the time L.I.E.S. released Mimesiak, the debut LP from Gunnar Haslam, the New York native was a virtual nobody in the electronic music scene, with barely a SoundCloud follower or a Facebook like to his name. Several months on and he's developed something of a profile, helped by the announcement of this second release, the Bera Range EP on Argot.
Much like the album, the release's three tracks are strikingly rich in texture, bringing the listener into Haslam's world of musically-minded techno. The title track opens with doom-laden kicks before moving into a canter of coarse snares and flailing drum hits. As the percussion subsides, panoramic synths slowly emerge and take charge, rising towards a pulsating crescendo as the drums slam back into action. It's a bold introduction. "Optional" is much more upbeat, leading from an agile breakbeat into a set of infectious and subtly uplifting synths. Coated in rhythmic knocks and a shimmering veil of sound, Haslam effortlessly moulds another slice of bold, enriching electronica. Reusing the throaty kicks from "Bera Range," "Nevenoe" sees us back on more morose territory. Nevertheless, with a warm, throbbing bassline, sharp claps and two beautifully intertwining melodies, Haslam injects an impressive amount of emotion into what initially set out as a slab of grey-scale techno.
TracklistA Bera Range
B1 Optional
B2 Nevenoe