After two decades of immersion in the making of IDM and ambient, Lusine (Jeff McIlwain) has released dozens of EPs and albums. His latest EP, Retrace, sits neatly in its introversion, much the same way his last full-length, Sensorimotor, did.
One thing that Lusine plays with more prominently on this EP is the use a looper, employed so effectively you're almost fooled into believing the vocals are continuous and uninterrupted, rather than spliced and repackaged — instead of using vocal snippets, both "Not Alone" (feat. Jenn Champion) and "Step On" (feat. CIFIKA) use lengthy vocal stretches that are eventually rearranged and looped.
Lusine's audible mix of polyrhythmic synths also lends itself to tracks that steadily intensify, the layering providing a richer and fuller tapestry, as the slow build and subsequent culmination of single "Retrace" demonstrates. Retrace is by no means a revelation, but acts as a nice bridge to what might come next.
(Ghostly International)One thing that Lusine plays with more prominently on this EP is the use a looper, employed so effectively you're almost fooled into believing the vocals are continuous and uninterrupted, rather than spliced and repackaged — instead of using vocal snippets, both "Not Alone" (feat. Jenn Champion) and "Step On" (feat. CIFIKA) use lengthy vocal stretches that are eventually rearranged and looped.
Lusine's audible mix of polyrhythmic synths also lends itself to tracks that steadily intensify, the layering providing a richer and fuller tapestry, as the slow build and subsequent culmination of single "Retrace" demonstrates. Retrace is by no means a revelation, but acts as a nice bridge to what might come next.
