Christ
Seeing And Doing EP
(Benbecula)
Christ burst onto the IDM scene with his debut release, the Pylonesque EP and further cemented his name with the solid follow-up full length Metamorphic Reproduction Miracle. His blend of chunky beats and a mixture of darker atmospherics with a slightly playful edge drew many comparisons to the work of Boards Of Canada and other similarly-minded artists, and this newest five track EP keeps most of the similar elements in place while putting some pieces in different places.
The short release (five tracks and just over twenty minutes of music) opens with "Fragile X," a minute-long piece that winds down just as it seems like it's going to start moving. From there, the release is onto the almost foreboding "Marsh Of Epidemics," which bangs a metallic beat around analog synth washes and a gritty low-end rhythm rumble as chopped-up vocal samples drift in and out like disembodied spectres. "Magic Piano" keeps the spooky feel going with an even more stark edge, weaving slowly through swirling melodies and scratchy grit. "Alter Boy" provides a brief respite with a almost light melody and more crisp programming before the release closes out with an Alias (of Anticon) remix of "Marsh Of Epidemics."
In addition to the music, there's a fairly neat video on the EP, but given the variety of tracks on the release (everything from swaths of dark ambient to stark, clanging IDM), it's pretty hard to tell which direction Christ is going to move on his next full length (which is due shortly). Perhaps his plan of attack with the EP is to keep everyone guessing, though, and with that he's succeeded. Not a great batch of tracks, but a good one.
Rating: 6
