- Yotam Avni's Monad XXII was exceptional, with two shamanic "Marva" tracks being the most compelling. One was a synthesised, beat-driven complement to the other, a meditation of vocals and singing bowls. Mysticism and Middle Eastern essences billowed throughout the record, resulting in a clubby sound that felt deeply spiritual. The theme has been running through Stroboscopic Artefacts, from Lucy's most recent album to the organic drones of his collaboration with Rrose. Avni's latest, Tehillim, gracefully continues the tradition.
Religious connotations are intrinsic to the title track. (Tehillim means "Book Of Psalms" in Hebrew.) Rusty, metronomic parts clunk through liturgical chanting, before a bold beat and handheld percussion bustles in. It's a bit awkward at first, until everything suddenly comes together as moody, industrial techno. The rest of Tehillim isn't quite so avant-garde, with Avni's sound design subverting in more clandestine, dance floor-friendly rhythms. There's a rogue horn sound in "Orma" and a treated vocal in "Shtok" that begins a delicate shift from driving, propulsive techno to a much stranger sound. Strings are led by crisp piano notes in the emotive, highly melodic "Even." Tehillim is another strong arsenal of non-conventional club productions from Avni.
TracklistA1 Tehillim
A2 Orma
B1 Shtok
B2 Even