Still In My Arms Compiled By

Still in My Arms is a glance backward at the softer, more wistful side of Y2K-era IDM, far removed from the smirk-faced drillnbass shenanigans of Aphex Twin and Squarepusher, or Autechres steely abrasiveness. Delving much further into the genre than those Warp mainstays, or even highly regarded yet less famous acts like Arovane and Funkstorung, this one mines the back catalogs of labels like Toytronic, Neo Ouija, Expanding Records, and n5MD, presenting a carefully curated selection of deep cuts with an emphasis on emotional resonance. Tracks like Plods Aptaxi dont cry out for attention, but they gently pull the listener in with bittersweet, understated melodies and intricate micro-beats. Num Nums South Quay is a bit more caffeinated and has more of a bounce to its bass, but still lands on the reflective side of home-listening techno. Boc Scadets Sel Alterat is closer to the verge of heartbreak, with weeping melodies and skittering beats that nearly lose control for a few moments. Sparks remix of Multiplexs Angles similarly balances a soft drizzle of melancholy notes with brittle beats that sound like theyre trying hard not to combust. Lacklusters electro-leaning KCL1 is a brief shower of tears equally expressing joy and grief, and Proems Your Grandfather Is Dead is appropriately stark and requiem-like. Each of these regular-length songs (not meandering epics) seem to paint a portrait of a specific scene or feeling, making it easy to hear why they stood out to the albums compilers. It seems almost inevitable that sooner or later, a label like Cherry Red will end up putting out a comprehensive box set documenting this era of music the way so many scenes and genres have been done before, but a smaller-scale compilation focusing on more heartfelt pieces undoubtedly feels much more personal and honest. ~ Paul Simpson