Pfirter - Monad IV | FWD Entertainment

sallman said on Thu, 07/29/2010 - 16:48

Artist: Pfirter
Title: Monad IV
Label: Stroboscopic Artefacts
Catalog #: SAM004
Genre: Techno
Release Date: July 29, 2010
Rating: 8

Tracing the origins of the universe has been a theoretical task that has plagued humankind since our inception. Such a daunting task requires a more contemporary approach, one that touches upon the commonly overlooked universal language of sound. Despite the resounding opinion that math will provide the answer to this debate, Stroboscopic Artefacts is looking for a contrary method with their Monad series and with Pfirter at the helm of the fourth installment, the question may not be answered, but at least it’s illustrated beautifully.

Argentinian icon, Pfirter, effectively manipulates his signature sound to create a cohesive bond of personal style and thematic motif. Each track lends itself to a different stage of creation, though this isn’t the instantaneous conception that the bible preaches, but a cold and calculated build-up that would make Darwin proud.

Lead-off track, “Arcon”, starts our journey with a thumping bass whose presence is known, yet barely audible until Pfirter introduces the higher frequencies that he so skillfully held back until just the right time. A powerful vortex forms, filled with racing protons and electrons fiending for one another’s company in vain. The fast approaching bass drop destroys everything in its wake, leaving only the stronger elements to thrive.

“Repeticion” begins in a similar manner, deep in the bowels of an ethereal harbinger, too cracked out on doomsday paranoia to stop the party anytime soon. You can’t really hate on a track for being repetitive when the title is indeed, repetition, but there’s no need for a back-up excuse. Pfirter never executes a drop in the same manner, sounds fall back and come into focus frequently so as not to distract from the unending thrills.

The last two tracks on the EP break the mold of pounding techno and operate in the small voids of the universe left undiscovered. “Supraventricular” slows the tempo down a bit, but still has a sense of urgency about it, like the pot could boil over at any second. Its lo-fi aesthetics contradict the punctual woodblock hits, but this is a juxtaposition that I feel comfortable getting into bed with, no horrific surprises, but a rather unnerving meditation still.

“Materia” is an eerie ambient number with a flood of sci-fi nuances. It’s an intense conclusion to this tale of cosmogony, despite the fact that there is no BPM to speak of. It swells with the experience of a mysterious trip encapsulated within a mere seven minutes, but the after-effects are profound, much like the rest of this supremely mesmerizing EP. Pfirter has taken on a daunting task and while he may not have made leaps and bounds in answering the great question, but at the very least it’s an experience that effectively captures the process.

-Andrew Reilly

Tracks:
1) Arcon
2) Repeticion
3) Supraventricular
4) Materia