Narkopop

Wolfgang Voigt is back at it, and it's like he was never gone. Grown way up from acid-tripping forest wanderer to stately label (Kompakt) owner and protector of the mnml/ambient techno realm, he succeeds against all odds at keeping the old magic alive. 10 more untitled tracks and another tinted woodsy album cover should be enough to seal the deal for any fan of the previous 3 Gas albums. Even after 17 years' catch-up no one else can make machines sound so organic -- but when the Gas universe exists, it might not even be worth trying.

Choice cuts: 2, 5, 7, 10

Genre: Very ambient techno, standing outside the club on a rainy night, comedown soundtrack
Friends: Loscil, Lull, Troum, Porter Ricks, Voices From the Lake, recent Huerco S.

1. (4:52) Sub-bass undulations, foresty pads and rain washes tell us we're back in Voigt-land. Nervous string swells suggest Voigt-land has evolved.
2. (11:22) The hallmark tectonic kick drum makes a subtle return. Strings coalesce into paranoid motifs. Tape hiss.
3. (4:24) Choir-ish pads and violin drones drift over a slightly choppier bass ocean.
4. (4:10) Lost at sea. Strings become more restless then give way to a moment of uncertain calm.
5. (6:47) Distant martial drums and a two-note sub-bassline mark new territory. Vibe dipping from curious to morose.
6. (5:12) Harpy sounds, faint industrial noise and plink-plonks compliment a particularly dedicated drone.
7. (9:17) The kick drum reenters while the little drone that could keeps doing its thing. Time-warping sounds of contentment.
8. (7:28) Suddenly sinister, plate-boundary vibes. Familiar strings and a new horror-film-esque synth duel in slow motion.
9. (7:58) Glassy ghostly melody emerges from the deep. Dissonant pads and a more indignant kick suggest we've wandered into the forbidden sector, but the fog lifts in the end.
10. (17:09) Long trip back. Clearer kick and buried hi-hat make for our most techno-y segment yet. Melodies turn tentatively hopeful. Beatless ending is a well-earned and perfectly portioned chunk of bliss.