Iteration

Album review

Iteration is only the second proper full-length from Com Truise, and according to mastermind Seth Haley, it's the conclusion of the story line that began with 2011's Galactic Melt, involving a robot astronaut who falls in love while serving time on a battle mission. East Coast native Haley composed Iteration as he was settling into his new life in Los Angeles, and the album mirrors his own emotions and experiences as well as those of the Com Truise character. As with 2016 EP Silicon Tare, Iteration seems much clearer and more defined than the hazy, lo-fi synth funk of earlier Com Truise releases. The EP contained more uptempo tracks than usual for him, and it seemed to be the ideal soundtrack for intergalactic battle scenes. Iteration generally returns to the midtempo range, and doesn't seem quite as busy as the previous EP. Not that Com Truise's work has ever seemed cluttered, but this album seems significantly airier. While Iteration is fit for a day spent lounging by the pool as much as any other Com Truise release, it's anything but lazy. Even when the glittery melodies and booming beats have a slow-motion sway to them, they seem heavily detailed and considered. On a few occasions, a scrambled female computer voice makes an appearance, providing glimpses of what one can assume is the Com Truise character's object of affection and inspiration. A few songs, especially "Memory," feature Ibiza-ready melodies that would've popped up in tracks by progressive trance producers such as Paul van Dyk once upon a time, but they manage to sound fresh in this context. Others, such as "Vacuume," sound instantly familiar as Com Truise songs, yet there are enough added flourishes (bigger bass swerves, dreamier synth textures) that they don't sound like he's repeating himself. With Iteration, Haley has retained all of the qualities that made Com Truise so appealing while blowing everything up into a higher resolution than before. If this is truly the end of the Com Truise saga, then it's the project's definitive release.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo