Deepchord Presents: Echospace

Hailing deep from the nether regions of Rhythm and Sound-style dub-y techno are Echospace. Composed of Rod Modell of Deepchord and Soultek’s Steve Hitchell, The Coldest Season starts with several minutes of pink noise slowly modulating its way through your mind like a constant wind. With only vintage analog equipment, the proceedings are ever so slightly warmed, like the sun peeking from behind a cloud. Little clicks and pops from space echo and decaying sounds add grit to the proceedings. This isn’t glitch-y in any way but the fine, somewhat random grain provides personality. Occasionally a dub shot makes an appearance, and said pulses are kept interesting due to the unique delay settings. As with the music of their tech-dub forefathers, the bass lines are implied as much as played, and only a kick drum throb and the tiniest hi-hat seem to glue it all together. The sinister synth pads add an additional layer of tension over ten-minute-plus dub suites like "Aequinoxium.” But throughout, the pink wind just keeps on blowing. It’s a cheap trick, really, providing instant ambience, but it’s essential to the disc in the way that a central drone is necessary to an Indian raga. This disc is for late night sessions or midwinter days.