Taavi Tulev / Kristjan Raidna - AB [DETUNDLTD25]

[thawkins]

https://detund.bandcamp.com/album/ab

 

I found this album while going through a poll for best Estonian album released in 2017. While most of the stuff there was basically usual suspects and boring hipster pop, this double LP (running length 2x37 minutes) is to me personally a jaw dropping pearl and I was instantly hooked.

The concept is actually not a new one - trying to marry classical instruments and electronics, but it is really rare to see it executed so tastefully and dynamically as Taavi and Kristjan in this case have. There are step sequencers, but they are guided by the warm and loving hands of a human, so they do not force themselves nor do they attempt to dictate the mood in the same way that a repeating melody in a traditional house or techno track would. On the analog/classical yang, opposite of the electronics' ying, the woodwinds/brass/flutes/what have you do not stand alone, trying awkwardly to make friends with some metronome - instead somehow they manage to keep up a very dynamic and interesting dance, slowing down and speeding up.

I think this album achieves what many attempts to combine traditional instruments and modern electronics do not - the music sounds raw, alive and very dynamic, but at the same time avoids using too many tropes associated with either classical or electronic music.

 

In my opinion it's one of the most interesting and innovative albums I have heard in the past 4-5 years. This has probably a lot to do with my personal taste, but I felt the need to share this thing nevertheless. I hope there's people here who will enjoy it as much as I did!

[eryngi]

thanks for sharing! i'm into it. it is just my cup of tea for pre-bedtime relaxo music, and far more spacious with room to dream in than a lot of other such music i listen to.