- It's kind of hard to glean the direction of a label with just two releases to date. In the case of Berlin-based Nsyde Music, however, it seems certain that its future will involve gorgeous melodies, and lots of 'em. (If you haven't already, check out Kevin Reynolds' "Liaisons.") This third release comes from a relatively fresh producer, Imugem Orihasam. According to Discogs, he's only been at it for about three years. Gleam from Distant Gate is an exciting introduction to the Japanese artist, characterised by crisp, logically arranged sounds and, yes, gorgeous melodies.
Alone on the A-side, the eponymous cut seems to float in a cosmic fog. There's no strong focal point; just a melange of sounds drifting about together. Its pulsating pads and corrugated bass notes are interspersed with fast-fading synth spirals and cymbal spray. All told, it feels like something Kirk Degiorgio might put his name to. For "Misty Evening," Orihasam winds back the pace considerably, giving a different mix of elements a lot more room to breathe. Everything has a hazy, indistinct quality, with only the boulder-like kicks poking out of the pearly fog. In place of the spirals, a luminescent synth flashes periodically across the spectrum like a shooting star. The ambient "Kotoni" is nothing short of beautiful, as much for what it includes as what it does not. Its tightly-plucked guitar and cautious, gusting chords are spread miles apart, their impacts absorbed in the intervals.
Tracklist A Gleam From Distant Gate
B1 Misty Evening
B2 Kotoni