Mowgli

Chronique

Entirely created in his dorm room at the age of 19, the debut Mister Lies album is a dreamy, instrumental electronic album that ties together ethereal field recordings with hip-hop beats and ambient techno. It's apparent that Nick Zanca is still learning to utilize his laptop, but there's a lot of promise here. Though the material is heavily sequenced, the young producer has a knack for arranging, and is determined to march to his own beat, even if that means his music has more in common with '90s downtempo acts than with recent dubstep phenoms. For the most part, Mowgli is easy listening, more concerned with drifting along aimlessly than with setting off a party. "Ludlow" could be a lost Soul II Soul instrumental, and "Dionysian" has the dubby breeziness of a Protection-era Massive Attack song. The songs here branch out in various directions, whether it's an R&B beat that gives way to acid synth arpeggios, or an EDM beat that does a 180 with the introduction of a gurgling bassline or a chopped-and-screwed vocal sample. Still, Zanca uses his scalpel to build lush arrangements from scratch with liquid, barely noticeable precision, and the progression is so slow and steady that it's barely noticeable. This makes the album play smoothly and free of distractions in a way that is good for washing over the background of a coffee shop or a computer workspace. Even if Mowgli is not completely engaging, Mister Lies is on the verge of something innovative, and most electronic fans will find these crisp, controlled soundscapes easy to absorb and enjoy.

© Jason Lymangrover /TiVo