Electronic Recordings from Maui Jungle Vol. 1

After melting minds since the mid-'90s with his beat-based productions, renowned techno producer Anthony Child aka Surgeon now brings the fundamental components of electronic sound production to the fore with Electronic Recordings from Maui Jungle Vol. 1. Focusing on the development of timbre and texture, Child creates exquisite drones that offer insight into his improvisatory sensibility and dig deep into the potential of modular synthesis. As the title indicates, Child has chosen a very special setting for this endeavor; the jungle of Maui seems to have acted as a stimulus for this exercise in concentration and trance. The intertwining of the electronic instrument and the sublime sounds of nature opens up an intimate resonant chamber. Birds, insects, and raindrops are allowed to break through, and the listener can sense the thick, humid air and deep colors of the surroundings resonating in the pastose synth lines. Some tracks offer beautifully built overtone-drones, while others are structured by playful arpeggios that create a shining bright texture and seduce the listener into a state of disintegration. At the same time, Child gives priority to the graininess of the instrument, to emphasize the haptic quality and inner tension of the sounds themselves. In the end, these minimalist procedures have been compiled into an unpretentious collection of sonic and atmospheric micro-jewels, inviting us to give ourselves over entirely and exclusively to listening.