Put simply: Calgarian experimental composer Krzysztof Sujata's latest release as Valiska is his best yet and one of the most singular yet humble avant-garde musical statements of 2017.
On Pause expands the palette he used to paint the hauntingly beautiful synth-based compositions of last year's Healer EP, giving Sujata's penchant for adventurous arrangements space to roam and bloom while honing each piece with more focus than many entries in his rapidly growing catalogue.
To achieve the album's distinct, indelible sound, Sujata feeds simple melodic phrases made with a Moog Sub 37 synthesizer and wordless vocalizations through tape loops to merge unique elements of organic inconsistency with the rich beauty of carefully massaged tone synthesis. The results are at turns breathtaking and heart-wrenching.
Whatever the methods of creation, On Pause contains some of the most soulful and mournful sounds this reviewer has heard coaxed from electronic instrumentation. Its deeply humanistic expression through such integrative mechanical means represents a step forward in the genre, and is a cathartic and engaging listening experience regardless.
(Trouble in Utopia)On Pause expands the palette he used to paint the hauntingly beautiful synth-based compositions of last year's Healer EP, giving Sujata's penchant for adventurous arrangements space to roam and bloom while honing each piece with more focus than many entries in his rapidly growing catalogue.
To achieve the album's distinct, indelible sound, Sujata feeds simple melodic phrases made with a Moog Sub 37 synthesizer and wordless vocalizations through tape loops to merge unique elements of organic inconsistency with the rich beauty of carefully massaged tone synthesis. The results are at turns breathtaking and heart-wrenching.
Whatever the methods of creation, On Pause contains some of the most soulful and mournful sounds this reviewer has heard coaxed from electronic instrumentation. Its deeply humanistic expression through such integrative mechanical means represents a step forward in the genre, and is a cathartic and engaging listening experience regardless.