False - 2007

False, "Plus Plus" (YSI link)

False, "Face The Rain" (YSI link)

We've been doing more minimal techno here lately, the dominant sound in the genre for the past year or two. We've also mentioned Matthew Dear a ton lately, so why not extend both streaks with a post on False's 2007, Dear's recent album under his minimal alias. This one has the hallmarks of minimal with the stripped down, repetitive, glitchy, bleepy sound that slowly changes and unfolds. I haven't heard a ton of the genre yet, but I think that Dear is more committed to the minimal aspect than others. 2007 is in essence a mix, albeit a mix of original material. It should remind you a little of the live mix I put up from Dear a few weeks ago, as the album feels like one continuous movement, not individual singles.

Things kick of with what sounds like race cars screaming around the track (or possibly howling wind) in "Indy 3000," but the listener soon descends into a molecular world, where everything seems to be broken down into smaller parts than you normally hear in music. This isn't verging on silence or anything like that, there's a definite pulse throughout, one that stays consistently in the same BPM range, say 130-140ish. My description probably makes this sound as boring as hell, but it's really the complete opposite. These tiny notes and sounds draw your ear in and make you listen that much harder. For example, on "Face The Rain," out of this bass and drums groover comes these piano chords that completely blow me away, like the sun coming up during a rainstorm or something. "Plus Plus" precedes itI'm not sure that this CD is a good intro into the minimal techno world however, as this one can claustrophobic at times; as much as I love the subtle shifts, it also means that there isn't any big hooks or changes of pace.

I highly recommend picking up a copy of this CD, take a chance on something new and different. The minimal scene has started to draw me in over the past year, I look forward to exploring this world more in the future.