As a fitting opening, “Utplaning” permits an ambient drone to breathe awhile before a stark off-beat kick pierces the sonic fog. Still sparsely populated at this point, the track gradually builds up with incremental elements towards a symphonic plateau that is persuasively maintained in force until the end. Subsequently, “Flank” establishes a forceful yet balanced groove from the outset, driven by a singular mid-range motif. The true magical allure of the composition, however, lies in the melodic story it begins to weave midway through, as a gripping refrain capturing equally the melancholic and the profound accompanies the listener until closure. Next, omitting the melodic core element of the preceding two arrangements and opting for a purely linear and pattern driven track, “Plata” compellingly places all its emphasis on a single sustained sequence interweaved with escalating rhythmic synth riffs. Closing the record is a reissue of Fu008’s “Separate Ways,” appearing now for the first time on wax. Fully modernized with remastered and reengineered dynamics as well as a honed and optimized arrangement, it transports one once more to the dark side of the nordic moon, exemplifying both the sense of pounding industry and dystopian trepidation that characterized Envgall’s previous output.

Words: PSD