- Nicola Lucchese was an early contributor to Chevel's Enklav label: his debut, 2012's Cosmagnetic, fell somewhere between after-hours bleep techno and luminous synth improv. With his return to the label, Lucchese's modular synth tracks reach new heights of sophistication. The sonic spaces are clearer and richer, and the stylistic spectrum is broader, spanning from quasi-perky techno to beatless abyss. The EP's best track, "Linnaeus" sits perfectly between these two extremes, its kick drum marking out an uneven rhythm under a firmament of twinkling arps.
Slowness is a recurring motif in Lucchese's music. "Zingiber" and "Three" each explore tempos circa 100 BPM; the former builds a sinister momentum, but the latter is less convincing. Elsewhere, Lucchese's sultry moods are matched by slowly unfolding structures that can sometimes test the patience. As such, the bright pads of "Tabrata" come as a welcome change of tone, which makes the EP's closing detour into dissonant and beatless moods a little puzzling. "R" and "Silent Start" seemingly nod to the academic computer music of past decades, and make for a slightly weak conclusion to an otherwise impressive EP.
Tracklist01. Linnaeus
02. Zingiber
03. Three
04. References
05. Tabrata
06. R
07. Silent Start