Ukkonen – Spatia

A fabulous limited edition vinyl release of awkward ambient from Ukkonen on Uncharted Audio. This is that vein of strangeness that comes from Northern climes. In the 90s, it would have been Northern England on Warp or Skam and represented the work of Autechre or The Black Dog. These days, it’s further north into Scandinavia by mysterious artists that spend much of the year in darkness and hibernation – perhaps.

Spatia is a five track EP. Kerrokset feels like something from early 90s Biosphere, with its creaking, gentle melody and warped drums. Primed is a bit more leftfield dancefloor orientated with its upbeat synth blooping and wood blocks. Tresgradus is a bit embarassed by this move to the dancefloor. It is more lofty, more magisterial. Perhaps even a bit more Orbital. Spatia is the gentlest track on the EP, with soft synth washes coming and going, like a slow sunset. Cordiskator ends the EP with a gentle comedown but with enough awkwardness not to let you relax completely. A really, really good EP.

If you want more, Ukkonen’s previous release at the end of last year was Erriapo 12″ and is equally good.

Blurb: The mysterious Arctic producer known only as Ukkonen, returns to vinyl with a brand new five track EP as a warm-up for his forthcoming double album on Uncharted Audio. Following last years ‘Erriapo’ 12”, which was charted by the likes of Agoria and left critics comparing his unique non-linear grooves to the likes of Gas, The Sight Below, Mark E, Aphex Twin, Brian Eno, Carl Craig, Mika Vainio and Isolee, here are five more masterpieces from his repertoire. Already being courted by other labels (with a compilation appearance mooted for No Pain In Pop after they invited him to remix man-of-the-moment Patten), and turning heads with his jaw-dropping ‘reimaginings’ of classic Detroit techno (completely removed from its 4/4 context) for the likes of Underlying Form, this reclusive producer is the only one to watch this year. The man himself says of the EP, simply: “it’s about spaces – spaces in the mixing, spaces between notes and creating imaginary spaces that work against each other in unusual ways.” Relieve yourself of all preconceptions – with ‘post-techno’ seemingly the buzzword of the New Year, it already has its champion.

http://shop.unchartedaudio.com/album/spatia

http://soundcloud.com/unchartedaudio

~ by acidted on February 16, 2012.