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| TRACKLIST |
| 1. Paper Cuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:04 2. Dead Daffodils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:04 3. 16 Fingers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4:54 4. Dil Wyn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4:34 5. Tinsel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:32 6. Origin Narrative (v3.03) . . . . . . . . . . .4:38 7. Fable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:00 8. Embedded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4:28 9. Sense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:53 10. 16 Fingers (Remix by Mothboy). . . . . . . . .3:28 11. Paper Cuts (Rubbing Mud Remix by Mad E.P.) . .3:12 |
Every musical genre has a philosophy and politics at its core. Garage rock has the bassist/no bassist argument, Acid debates the inclusion of the TB303, and most drum 'n' bass fans can expound upon the importance of sub-bass frequencies and tiny snares For a while, IDM's agenda included songwriting as part of the equation - but now that everyone can afford RAM, mastering plug-ins and enough web server space to host a few albums worth of material, the genre is leaning towards an unfortunate, technology-enslaved, "look what I can do" methodology, as evidenced by the hyper-pointilistic disconnected output of Venetian Snares and his devotees.
From the first few moments of Origin's opener, "Paper Cuts", it's easy to tell that chief player David Dando-Moore has no desire to inspire the "what program are you using?" question; he wants you to admire him for how well he can craft a piece of music. Origin seethes with this gorgeous aesthetic - but don't worry, tweakers, this aint Moby's "Porcelain". Software is at Origin's core, and Dando-Moore, aided by a couple of guests, seems doggedly determined to satisfy those listeners who love the otherworldly ingenuity that only the digital realm can provide.
After a melotron's somber drone meets elegant "War Epic" underscore, Dando-Moore drops a beat and dubby bassline that will immediately get your head and body moving. He slowly develops this backbeat, allowing you to feel the tension of an impending chorus and anticipate the formal structure, but his addition of subtle flams, glitchy distortion and synthetic rimshots help to make the rhythm hypnotic and slightly unpredictable, with all the minute imperfections you'd get from a live drummer. At the same time, Dando-Moore covers the track with a symphony of strings, ethereal synths and other clever sounds. For "Embedded", he takes an interesting approach to the breakbeat: instead of chopping it into ten million pieces and pimping it with neck-wrenching tempos, he twists it just enough to create an organic impression and tames it somewhere between Jungle and House. Again, the harmonies and melodies are lilting, and the bridge's Persian vibe is a tasteful contrast. His mysterious polytonal textures and English professor vocal samples drape "Fable" in intrigue, while the colors of overdrive he injects into the lowest points of the song's hip-hoppy groove would make a Broken-era Trent Reznor jealous. For "Tinsel", Dando-Moore shows off his programming skills with an evolving murmur, which he attacks with an army of synthetics, all carefully aligned to a dominant, booming bass drum.
In "Fingers (Remix by Mothboy)" and "Paper Cuts (Rubbing Mud Remix by Mad E.P.)", respectively, Ad Noiseam artists Mothboy and Mad E.P. put their own stamp on the album. While Mothboy works in Rave-friendly territory, Mad E.P. threatens you in the alley with his signature chest-crushing bass samples; his palette of screams and detention-school girls who want to cut you makes a perfect complement to Dando-Moore's work. While remixers are often brought in to save an album (see, for example, most of Metropolis Records' recent offerings), Dando-Moore's work is sufficiently brilliant to stand on its own. Mothboy and Mad E.P. are merely another side of the coin - three masters for the price of one!
Origin is a prime example of why "balance in all things" works so well. Dando-Moore's production, songcraft, technical skills, restraint and attention to detail make Origin a solid, satisfying, supremely well-balanced effort. ~ by Dave Madden
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