- Rhys Celeste was a young producer overflowing with potential. In less than three years, he established a signature sound that clothed a retro IDM sensibility in modern textures. Celeste died earlier this year, at the age of 24, when his motorcycle collided with a bus. Subtle Variance wasn't supposed to be a posthumous record, but it makes a fine, if brief, epitaph for a producer who left too early.
This four-track EP has a loose focus on acid, but it's still a good sampler for the Microlith style. The dulcet tones and sci-fi melodies of "Acid In A Church," like a lot of Celeste's tracks, bring to mind classic Autechre and Aphex Twin. But Celeste isn't just a good imitator. Where some IDM can feel overwhelming or random, Celeste's brand is deliberate and careful. Every new melody line makes sense, and every turn feels graceful.
Subtle Variance contains two of Celeste's most subtle electro tracks. "Backwards" is a poignant closer, full of sad acid melodies and exquisite percussion. The EP's standout is "Remember Members," which gestures towards Detroit with exhaling pads and a general sense of weariness. The restless feel is Celeste's own—like his best work, Subtle Variance pays tribute to his heroes without following their paths too closely. The elegiac melodies of "Remember Members" and "Backwards" aren't technically a farewell, but they make a fine one anyway.
TracklistA1 Acid In A Church
A2 Remember Members
B1 8oh8 Freight
B2 Backwards