Title: 10:10PM
Artist: Undermathic
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 10th October 2010
Label: Tympanik Audio
Album Review
Actually, it’s not so long ago that Maciej Paszkiewicz has joined the Tympanik Audio label for the release of his album ‘Return To Childhood’ in 2009. There was a unique aura of wistfulness surrounding that record, enclosed in each and every track which is why I think the album became so much of a critic’s darling back in the day. Autumn of 2010 sees UNDERMATHIC returning to the scene with a new album, titled ’10:10PM’ and released on 10th October.
The track kicking the album off, ‘Big City Nights’, was available already a while before as teaser. If you were to craft a visual counterpart to that track, it had to be the one of someone driving through a never-sleeping, brightly illuminated city, watching people pass by, observing everything from a detached view like being there but not being a part of it. The audio equivalent to it comes with sopping wet beats, suggesting a slippery underground for the ride while the sublime majesty of strings keeps your thoughts in a state of suspension to the last audio bit. From the outside to the inside we get with the introverted ‘It Is Me’ that reaches deep and touches on feelings and emotions long forgotten and buried under years and years. ‘Searcher’ brings on a sparkling, lightly melancholic atmospheric introduction preceding a metallic percussion beat – like an electronic recreation of beating an oil barrel. Choirs are being added occasionally, adding an airy feeling.
‘Saiph’ veers into experimental regions, getting started with vinyl crackling alongside muffled drones. Particles of forlorn feelings are starting to resonate within the fabric of strings. An industrial set of drum beats lends a cold air to the build before it’s starting to fade slowly. The mentioned cold is proceeding to the following title track; there’s no comforting melody around, just harshness created by metal clashing together with metal. Then something is rising up from deep underneath and grows to be one incredible string texture that is slightly softening some of the edges of the rhythms. ‘7 Years’ founds on a rhythm, pieced together out of various fragments like grainy samples metallic textures and much more. On top of it comes what’s making it a favourite of mine: The brilliant atmospheres, condensed to key and string sequences that, coupled with the waves washing up on a forlorn shore later, trigger some fantastic pictures. The thing to wrap up the album is ‘Sea’. Here Maciej embedded field recordings into beautiful piano and string arrangements, generating a feeling of longing.
’10:10 PM’ is the next logical step in the development of UNDERMATHIC. It is no entire recreation of sound; more of a refinement. Things have become edgier on some tracks on the new album and moods and melodies created way more intense. To create that kind of an atmosphere is a rare gift and I think he’s got everything it takes to reach a higher level on a future release.
Tracklist
01. Big City Nights - 6:38
02. It Is Me - 4:58
03. Quantum Theory - 7:07
04. Searcher - 4:04
05. Alternative Timelines - 5:33
06. Saiph - 3:46
07. 10.10pm - 6:06
08. I Remember - 8:08
09. Level III - 3:30
10. 7 Years - 4:55
11. Sea - 6:06
Line-Up
Maciej Paszkiewicz – All Music & Production
Website
http://www.undermathic.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/undermathic
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 9 / 10
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