NWAQ - Above

  • A triumphant debut for the new label from an ambient techno star.
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  • Jochem Peteri, AKA Newworldaquarium, is one of the finest ambient techno producers to ever do it, however you define the genre. His new EP, the first on his label Last Age, is a brief but powerful reminder, particularly its two "Above" tracks. "Above II" has maybe the most poignant yet deadpan hi-hat ever committed to wax, a hissing pattern that adds structure to Peteri's classic soft-focus synth warbles. His soundscape is like looking at a landscape painting through welling-up tears. "Above I," on the other hand, is the truly ambient counterpart, with a kick drum buried so deep you feel it more than hear it, and glacial chords that drift into each other. What's most remarkable about these tracks is how much emotion they pack into relatively short runtimes (for Peteri, at least), showing off a few new tricks in a well-established repertoire.
RA