Avatism

Upon first listening to Adamant, you could be forgiven for mistaking the album for a humdrum display of minimal techno. Indeed, anyone breezing over this release will find it largely ignorable, especially the middle section. Certainly headphones don't do it justice; it's only when the LP is given access to speakers, a sub woofer and a dedicated ear that it begins to reveal itself. As the product of a 12-month isolation in a Berlin studio, Adamant is meticulous and full of subtle nuances, the majority of which only flower upon the third or fourth listen. From the offset, Avatism holds a solid pace — only waning in quality and tempo for brief moments — but it's as the record draws to a close that he starts to shine. Back-to-back tracks "Mastodon" and "Serpentine" demonstrate the murky side of Avatism, which the album hints at throughout. Here, in the sinister rumblings of the two aforementioned songs, is where Avatism works best. Avatism has a unique talent for being utterly dark and somehow luminous at the same time, like you're being perpetually chased by some unknown fiend, but are also inches away from salvation.