Unrequested States of Bliss is Italian techno/electro trio Bosconi Soundsystem's prompt followup to their debut Back To Front EP from earlier this year, and it offers up more of the same hypnotic techno grooves. Although its sound palette of analog squiggles and bleeps begins to wear a bit thin towards album's end, it's frankly hard to pinpoint any moments of real monotony or redundancy, and its overall concept has merit.
Slightly less glitchy than its predecessor, Unrequested States of Bliss favours a slicker, more mature sound, but the game remains largely the same: groovy, at times almost swinging dark techno with a distinctly Mediterranean flair. This is music designed for sweaty, late-night club hours though, not breezy beach days; featuring dynamic, interlocking synth lines in place of melody, the album is memorable more for its immersive feel and unrelenting dance floor momentum than anything else.
It often sounds like the kind of dance music robots might make when they want to get down, but forget any kind of uplifting, Daft Punk-style funk/disco inflections; this is a thoroughly Italian affair, with the spirit of Italo Disco chained up somewhere at its core. It's this heritage that really saves the album, rooting it in a tradition known for its breezy nature, and then instead giving it a dark, almost sinister turn. It's a neat trick that might need further development and additional elements in future, but in the meantime, it's nice to experience Unrequested States of Bliss.
(Bosconi Records)Slightly less glitchy than its predecessor, Unrequested States of Bliss favours a slicker, more mature sound, but the game remains largely the same: groovy, at times almost swinging dark techno with a distinctly Mediterranean flair. This is music designed for sweaty, late-night club hours though, not breezy beach days; featuring dynamic, interlocking synth lines in place of melody, the album is memorable more for its immersive feel and unrelenting dance floor momentum than anything else.
It often sounds like the kind of dance music robots might make when they want to get down, but forget any kind of uplifting, Daft Punk-style funk/disco inflections; this is a thoroughly Italian affair, with the spirit of Italo Disco chained up somewhere at its core. It's this heritage that really saves the album, rooting it in a tradition known for its breezy nature, and then instead giving it a dark, almost sinister turn. It's a neat trick that might need further development and additional elements in future, but in the meantime, it's nice to experience Unrequested States of Bliss.