THE SKINNY: Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds and Faroese musician Janus Rasmussen first emerged as Kiasmos in 2009 to share their exciting debut EP, Thrown. Since then, they have maintained a markedly sporadic portfolio of “emotional rave” music that never fails to entice fans with a prosperous blend of experimental textures, danceable beats and dreamy ambience.
The duo’s new album, II, is the very long-awaited follow-up to the eponymous debut LP of 2014. Fans may well have forgotten all about Arnalds and Rasmussen through the perils of political madness and pandemic mystery if it weren’t for a pleasing selection of EPs released in the interim. All the same, there’s nothing quite like a full serving of deciduous techno music, especially one of such sonic cohesion.
As a new product of their preferred medium of atmospheric techno music, II doesn’t necessarily breach into new territory for Kiasmos. Instead, this is the sound of a duo comfortable in their domain, exploring new textural combinations and, once again, flexing their rather large productional muscles.
Arnalds and Rasmussen have a discerning eye for beat drops, which never fail to spice things up for the live show. Yet beneath the danceability of these techno beats is a cavern of inspiring textures drawn in and out of the mix seamlessly to provide structure and variety. II contains moments of reflective tranquillity, ecstatic movement, and orchestral grandeur.
An album should carry enough variety to keep the focused listener engaged yet flow with a distinctive identity; Kiasmos have certainly delivered on this front.
For fans of: leftfield electro festivals, meditation and robotic dance moves.
A concluding comment from Super Hans: “Big beats are always the best, especially when delivered by this dynamic duo.”
II track-by-track:
Release Date: July 5th | Producer: Kiasmos | Label: Erased Tapes Records
‘Grown’: Kiasmos kick off proceedings with an ambient, atmospheric scape which submits beautifully to a propellant beat. This is versatile dance music that is apt for any setting or application. [4/5]
‘Burst’: As we move into the record, a slightly heavier beat welcomes some more vivid tones with clean production. Like ‘Grown’, ‘Burst’ has a powerful and anthemic quality across several dynamic movements. [4/5]
‘Sailed’: Some woodblock percussion introduced another propulsive yet curiously relaxing and cathartic beat. Echo effects give the illusion of distance or perhaps even a subaquatic scene. [4.5/5]
‘Laced’: I hope your shoes are laced up for this one. The beat is vibrant and bouncy, adorned by an evocative classical string track which takes the floor for a mid-track break. It’s hard to keep that head still when the beat drops again. [4/5]
‘Bound’: This mid-album highlight is the longest offering at six minutes and 27 seconds in length. To make the best use of the time, Kiasmos introduce waves of pacey techno interspersed by classical ambience. [4.5/5]
‘Sworn’: This beautifully textured beat is piano-driven but benefits from a colourful spectrum of twinkling sound effects. The atmospheric orchestral features which provide the album with an identity make a prominent return in the middle section of ‘Sworn’. [4/5]
‘Spun’: A muffled sequence reminiscent of Italo Disco introduces the song with a minute of tension before a satisfying beat drop. As heard in other parts of the album, orchestral breaks supply variety and distinguish the music from typical dance beats. [3.5/5]
‘Flown’: It is hard not to be lured in by this kaleidoscopic dreamscape. It is bright and optimistic, offering both a meditative ambience and a danceable groove. [4/5]
‘Told’: Maintaining the tone of the previous track, ‘Told’ lifts the tempo for one of the most dancefloor adjacent hits on the album. The string sections cut through more profoundly between attacking beats, sure to please the ravers. [4/5]
‘Dazed’: Tumbling melodies and a suppressed beat celebrate the sounds of Japanese ambient music. The woody percussion evokes water once again, perhaps a tranquil lily pond. [4/5]
‘Squared’: Although ‘Dazed’ could have wrapped the album up on a bookending stint of after-party relaxation, Kiasmos didn’t want to leave us short-changed. One final groove brings the tempo back for a powerful close, though, admittedly, it brings little new to the album. [4/5]