- Serena Butler's take on techno is esoteric and subaqueous, with arresting samples and unusual field recordings—dogs barking, for instance—capped off with provocative titles. This clearly isn't your average club fare, but most of it is made for dance floors—it's some of the most winsome experimental music around. Since debuting with a lush and hazy Blade Runner-referencing EP for Eerie, there's been a harder, dystopic follow-up for New York Haunted and the serene From The Cloud To Our Bodies for the artist's new Bene Tleilax label. (It's another nod to sci-fi—the label's name is from Dune, Frank Herbert's epic novel.) Konstrukt 007 is the rising talent's most accessible release yet, ideal for newcomers with a taste for the uncanny.
"Deep Sea Dive" and "Submerged Underworld" live up their names. The former is a gorgeous head trip with sunken chords and plush percussion designed to make you feel immersed and safe. Having drawn you in, the latter switches the vibe with cascading synths and rolling drums that set a plaintive mood. Warm and dark tones then meet on "We Are Adamantly Synthetic" like the sheen of oil on water. "When I Die I'll Go To Heaven Because I Served My Time In Hell" is the cryptic climax, featuring sampled dialogue, abstract textures and a shimmering melody that wafts over the top—a typical Serena Butler move that leaves you suspended in mystery and eager for more.
TracklistA1 Deep Sea Dive
A2 Submerged Underworld
B1 We Are Adamantly Synthetic
B2 When I Die I'll Go To Heaven Because I Served My Time In Hell