- Ligovskoï are the blissed-out ambient members of the DEMENT3D family. Their music—all mist and teary-eyed—could be considered an outlier for a label better known for heady techno. But Ligovskoï are in sync with the meditative undercurrent surging through DEMENT3D's catalogue. It's a cerebral label that releases conceptual records that also happen to work in a club. Ligovskoï's serene DEMENT3D debut, Dilip EP & Remixes, was impressive, but it wouldn't have made the same impact without its remixes. Mana repeats the formula and connects Ligovskoï to the dance floor.
Compared to the candy floss drifts of its predecessor, Mana is more immediate. The music still floats—the title track is especially dreamy—but there are sharper crescendos and noisier elements hidden within the clouds. Take the intense "Cross," which feels like it's about to burst. Or the shimmery pop pulses of "Aures," which pack a lovely punch. It's reminiscent of Loke Rahbek and his Croatian Amor project, which can be extremely luscious or sweet. Ligovskoï pushes emotions to the edge.
Mana's remixes are strong and varied. DEMENT3D cofounder HBT turns in a beautifully gnarled version of "Cross," while Polar Inertia serve up one more of their vast tundras. Respectively, they're the most experimental and functional remixes of the lot. But this time they're superfluous—Ligovskoï's originals are a hearty listen on their own.
TracklistA1 Aures
A2 Mana
A3 Elgon
B1 Cross
B2 Lethe
C1 Aures (Peder Mannerfelt Power Mix)
C2 Mana (Abdulla Rashim Remix)
D1 Lethe (Polar Inertia Remix)
D2 Cross (HBT Remix)