Channel Low by antennasia

Formed in 1999 by vocalist san and trackmaker Nerve, the electronic/triphop/dub duo antennasia will release their ninth and latest album, ‘Channel Low’, this July.

Following their previous work ‘Warped Lucky’, the new album also skillfully incorporates elements of trip-hop and dub. However, this time, the central theme is “groove,” with the driving force of bass and drums standing out throughout the entire album, creating a sense of dynamism not found in the previous release. At the same time, when viewed as a whole, it expands into a multilayered and original soundscape that transcends genre boundaries, making it difficult to categorize.

While clearly distinct from the mainstream, this surrealistic underground bass-pop will leave a lasting impression on listeners who resonate with antennasia’s unique worldview.

Throughout the album, san’s vocals serve as a core element alongside the rhythm section. Sometimes dynamic, sometimes delicate, and at other times with a raw texture, her voice breathes life into the tracks as a lead instrument. This expressive versatility is a crucial factor that underpins the album’s overall depth and richness.

The album opens quietly with the processed call of an owl, seamlessly transitioning into the simple and minimal opening track “Nocturnal Bird.” Songs like “Time Eaters” and “Slow Walking” build on reggae and ska foundations, yet reconstruct them into a floating and trippy antennasia sound through the duo’s distinct sensibility. In “Datura,” which leans heavily into trip-hop, stark yet sensuous lyrics and sound blend together to paint a world akin to a short film.

The only track featuring scat vocals, “Channel-U,” is a psychedelic dub piece that gently shifts from a chillout-style first half to a dreamlike yet heavy second half. The wordless vocal expressions accentuate the song’s mesmerizing atmosphere.

On four tracks—“Asian Monsoon,” “Dimension-K,” among others—san herself handled the trackmaking. These songs feature unpredictable developments that reflect her unique musical approach. In “Asian Monsoon,” Japanese and Javanese lyrics sung in voices with delicately shifting tones are layered over a post-punk sound, with the phrase “endangered species” leaving a striking impression. “Hi, AI” explores both hope and skepticism toward AI, set to a heavy dub sound. In “Cell-Fish,” a pun on the word “selfish,” the sting of being bitten by a “cell-fish” is sublimated into a cool and soulful synth-pop piece. “Dimension-K,” inspired by the folk tale Kissaku-Otoshi from Oita Prefecture of Japan, reinterprets the bleak story from a new perspective, presenting an alternate narrative world through its lyrics and sound.

All of the artwork for the album was generated by san using mage.space. The CD includes a booklet featuring images generated to match each track. (The PDF of the images is the bonus item on Bandcamp.)

Looking back, antennasia has always created their next work by destroying or dismantling their previous one. This latest album, too, will likely dissolve in the near future—only to transform into a new lifeform once again.

antennasia is a Japan-based triphop/electronica/dub/avant-pop group by san and nerve.

The long-awaited album "Warped Lucky" is released in July 2023 from Tabula Rasa Records in San Francisco and Double Life Records.

antennasia.com