Style: Ambient techno
Primary Emotions/Themes: Minimalism, experimentation through four on the floor beats
Thoughts: Thump thump thump thump. That is the basis of this entire album. A basic techno beat. The entirety of the album utilizes the four on the floor beat to form the basis of everything that is about to transpire over the next 25 minutes or so.
The thing about that beat is it's hypnotic. The way its used here is much the same way a foundation is laid down for a house or structure. It's the basis for everything that is to come. Intermixed there are other percussive instruments that fade in and out. There are ambient pads that fill out the silence in between the beats, there are even short snippets of melody that are offered to me as I am lured in deeper to this album.
Despite the simplicity, there is quite the range of material going on here. We have interesting polyrhythms sprinkled in on every track. We have a wide range of atmospheres, ranging from nearly dark ambient to open and welcoming. We have different productions on the drums as well. Some are deep and bass heavy, while others are light and tinny. All of this adds to the texture of the songs.
Quartermass is about as minimal as you can get and still be called music. Most of the time there is at most 2-3 instruments being used, and even then they are looped to the point of hypnotism. This is the essence of the album, depth through simplicity. Loss of self through hypnotism. Seeking more through less. It's not something I partake in very often, but I do highly enjoy it when I do.
Written February 5th 2024
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