- Matt Chester is, with material like this, here for the long haul. There's a steady assurance about this release that grows with each listen and sweeps one into a future utopia tinged with an industrial poetry that has warmth, soul and setting. Contextualising work like this isn't always as straightforward as it sounds, as there's a stylistic omnipresence that may seem spatial but needs grounding nevertheless.
"Col d' Aubisque," named after a mountain pass in the south of France, starts the EP wonderfully, evoking Detroit in style and the Far East in atmosphere. It's as good an example of laid-back machine funk as can currently be heard. "Dissolver" amplifies the bass and sets an altogether more sombre tone. It's not as evocative a track as "Col d' Aubisque," functioning on a slightly lower frequency, but moves in the same general direction making use of a harsh, but melodic foundation that should shake bass bins to within an inch of their lives.
"Infinite Unknowns" and "Die for a Reason" are the electro half of this EP. The kick on the former is particularly effective and it serves as a skeleton upon which Chester drapes synth washes travelling in opposite scales. The title track, meanwhile, is a journey to the far reaches of our galaxy and relies on rhythmic handclaps on a typically bouncing bass enveloped in a science-fiction symphony. Beautiful.
This is a great showcase for Matt Chester's talents. It's a very symmetrical release displaying classic techno and electro elements. He's got the funk, the groove and whatever else it takes on this evidence.
Tracklist 01. Col d'Aubisque
02. Dissolver
03. Infinite Unknowns
04. Die For A Reason