Sunday, July 31, 2011

Review: It's Artificial | Andrew Bayer



The summer has been brazen with the best releases of music I've heard in a long time. I've never been a trance devotee, but the merchandise that's coming out from that side of electronica has had me switching gears this season.



Let's talk about some futuristic sounds.

The United States has known it's fair share of great electronic acts from Deep Dish to Gabriel and Dresden, but this is often lost in the overwhelming brilliance of music coming in from the whole of Europe. Progressive house and tech house are part of a small niche and Andrew Bayer is the ultimate muse.


I first heard of Andrew through the world famous Trance Around the World podcast from Above & Beyond, which by the way is great to listen to so you can  keep up to date with brand new releases.


It's Artificial is a brilliant album in which every track has a deep story of it's own and it's up to the listener to really make the experience for themselves. In many progressive albums, I often find the tracks are very similar with a specific samples and sounds used throughout. With this album, Bayer has outdone himself with magical and surprising sounds that teleport you into another world. A futuristic world that comes to life through the intricacy and attention to detail.


I was especially moved by Counting The Points, which takes me many years into the future and into the soul of a robot who discovers himself and the psychology of feelings and finally freeing himself from the bonds of robot-lore. Okay. That's just my crazy imagination. My point is that there is a story there, intentional or unintentional and it unravels in the most flawless way possible.


Andrew Bayer is a perfectionist and I'm glad.  It's Artificial is no doubt one of the best releases in the genre of progressive electronic music in many years and many years to come.
Want some more? LessThan3 had and excellent interview with Andrew himself: Check it out 

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