textura

Albums
2562
3ofmillions
3 Seconds Of Air
Monty Adkins
Agoria
Anduin
Natalie Beridze TBA
Black Eagle Child
Boduf Songs
Bodzin Vs Romboy
Build
Marco Carola
Blake Carrington
Codes In The Clouds
Dreamsploitation
Federico Durand
Elektro Guzzi
Emanuele Errante
FiRES WERE SHOT
Rick Frystak
Garin & Gobart
Gerard and Graydon
Kraig Grady
Guthrie & Budd
Marcus Intalex
Jumpel
Slavek Kwi
March
Maschine
Melodium
Alton Miller
Obsil
Phaedra
Semiomime
Shaula
Kate Simko
Sleepingdog
Nobuto Suda
Moritz Von Oswald Trio

Compilations / Mixes
5ZIG
20 F@#&ING Years
Michelangelo Antonioni
Fabric 56: Derrick Carter

EPs
Agoria featuring Kid A
Aleph
A Story of Rats
Orlando B.
Ceremony
Cex
Matthew Dear
Entia Non & Tanner Menard
Nick Kuepfer
Clem Leek
Mat Le Star
Lulacruza
Paul Lyman
Moss
Resampled Part 1
Resampled Part 2
Snoretex
Subeena

Cex: Evargreaz
Automation Records

Having gone through multiple metamorphoses in the dozen years since he introduced the project (including stints as a rapper and as a three-piece jam band), Cex (Rjyan Kidwell) returns to his instrumental-IDM roots on this very satisfying cassette release for Automation Records (also available in a digital format), though evidence of his naughty side is clearly suggested by photos on the hand-made cardboard sleeve that show an x-acto knife dangerously close to a little boy's throat. Provocative imagery aside, the four melodic instrumentals on Evargreaz present Cex at his most user-friendly and in a more-than-digestible EP-length running time.

Like a contentedly whirring clock device, “Ily” winds itself up with a mini-jewel of IDM-styled intricacy with a jovial mix of carnival melodies, shredded voices, and hiccuping beat swing. Waves of synthesizers surge forward, the whole thing feeling like a ship lunging forward and struggling to avoid capsizing in the face of ever-building waves. Turning the lights down a tad, “November Reign” opts for a more laid-back blend of vocodered murmurings and gently swinging percussion rhythms. Playful and buoyant, the B-side's “Day of 1000 Radiant Suicides” is nowhere near as dour as its title suggests, and if anything its nimble-footed keyboard patterns (as calming as a piece by Steve Reich's group) and carefree air make it an ideal piece for a dance troupe. The release's light-hearted mood is perpetuated by “Weedlessness,” which happily dishes out more gleeful melodies and tick-tock beats as the EP sails off into the sunset in search of Kidwell's next incarnation, whatever that might be.

April 2011