- As a new-ish label, Peder Mannerfelt Produktion—run by the eponymous Swedish musician—has a pretty good hit rate for its handful of releases, Mannerfelt's own records included. It mines a new and intriguing thread of mostly Swedish experimental electronics, a scene that includes Stockholm's Sissel Wincent. In addition to producing this debut for Mannerfelt, Wincent is part of the 12-person "studio collective" of female and non-binary artists, Drömfakulteten, whose members include Janus's Kablam.
If Wincent uses techno as a launching point, she's left it pretty far behind on Illusion Of Randomness—although rhythm as a heartbeat underpins these five tracks, and rhythm in general is foregrounded in a big way. Consisting entirely of differently pitched rhythms (its modulated, one-note bassline has no melody to speak of), "Chrome" feels the most insistent with its 32nd-note breakdowns. "Investigation" uses a similar method to different ends, while "Monstera" consists of little more than synths and static bursts.
Wincent is operating with a gritty and rough minimalism, but uses it effectively. Perhaps that's why the strongest tracks include the most sparing of vocals. The opener "As If" and closer "Stream Of Consciousness" both carry a tension that's conveyed not only by creeping electronics but also by their mantric refrains: "As if / What if" in the former and whispered incantations in the latter. Illusion Of Randomness is dark and uneasy, and it leaves you ready for more.
TracklistA1 As If
A2 Investigation
B1 Monstera
B2 Chrome
B3 Stream Of Consciousness