Siktransit

Toronto electronic music composer Andrew Hallisey, aka Siktransit, makes a stunning foray into minimalist groove with his debut, Everybody Needs Sundays. The first half of the disc features a series of atmospheric compositions that evoke feelings of urban melancholy and abandoned loves. Hallisey escapes the cinematic producer’s quintessential dilemma — monotony — by keeping his tracks short and sweet. During a brief interlude, the tempo steps up a notch for the fun, funky "Kasio Disco Rock” and the deep house of "…Miami!” before returning to "Parkside,” with its hauntingly beautiful strings and faraway bird calls. Later on, things get even more adventurous with skittering beats, quirky samples, and the closer, "Folky Stuff,” which features an upbeat acoustic guitar riff and shimmering piano. At 74 minutes of mostly down-tempo grooves, Everybody Needs Sundays can be a bit of a sleep-inducing affair, but it’s a pleasant slumber nonetheless.