VRIL Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Sharply defining Vril's exact sound has always been tricky - over the course of his career, he's consistently delivered music that blurs the boundaries between IDM, electro, ambient techno, and the kind of hazy soundscapes beloved of dub techno producers - but there's never been any denying the quality of his work. Animist, his third extended release for Delsin, is another immersive, head-soothing excursion. Reportedly based on re-makes of tracks originally developed for live performances, its' multitude of highlights include the deep broken techno of 'Zukunftsrasse', the angular and abrasive early morning minimalism of 'Terraformink', the warming textures, hypnotic grooves and opiate electronics of 'Kuru', and the smacked-out horror-IDM crackle of 'Errorist'.

Review: According to the accompany information, VRIL and Rodhad's first collaborative full-length was dually inspired by a desire to "subvert the expectations of their previous work" and the real world phenomena of unusual artefacts that baffle both archaeologists and historians (in their words, "strange anomalies scattered throughout the world"). Musically, the album is something of a slown-burn treat, with the pair slowly ambling between heady ambient soundscapes, buzzing, slow-motion psychedelic techno, creepy and bass-heavy electronic experiments, acid-flecked IDM, deep dub techno and productions that cannily blur the boundaries between these various stylistic touchpoints. As a result, Out of Place Artefacts is a startling and hugely enjoyable collection of mysterious musical movements.