Altered Signals

Album review

Shortly after the release of his stunning 2018 work Staccato Signals, a foreboding blend of tense electronics and rich orchestral arrangements, Ben Chatwin provided a more spaced-out take on the same material with the equally impressive Drone Signals. For the following year's Altered Signals, he lets others interpret his vision, and while the results veer off in several different directions, they generally emphasize electronic elements while maintaining the dramatic qualities of the original pieces. Visionist laces the swelling strings and haunting choral vocals of "Fossils" with hazy, trance/grime hybrid synths that coil upwards like wisps of smoke. Steve Hauschildt begins his interpretation of "Helix" by offsetting glowing pads with darting, squirming textures, eventually gaining a ticking, dragging beat. Ital Tek's "Silver Pit" remix affixes a big bass swerve to rhapsodic strings, resulting in a sublime piece of floating orchestral dubstep. A few other producers provide a bit more of a club-informed momentum with their takes. Konx-om-Pax begins "Claws" with funereal horns and a dub-techno pulse, then builds up a steady beat and acid house arpeggios, surrounding everything with chilly, atmospheric strings. Vessels' "Hound Point" is more overtly danceable, with a swinging shuffle beat and a DJ-friendly sense of progression. Pye Corner Audio ends the show with a flickering, acid-tinged version of "Knots," which gradually simmers but refrains from reaching a full climax. As a whole, the collection doesn't go for over-the-top gestures, but the remixers recognize the value in building suspense rather than going in for the kill.

© Paul Simpson /TiVo