Gateways by Data Rebel & Jani R
English composer Data Rebel has been a decorated resident on Silk Music for quite some time, with releases on our imprint dating back to 2014. Likewise, Finnish talent Jani R is a veteran label contributor, whose debut EP with us, "Collision," graced our imprint in 2013 and whose debut album ("Fragile") arrived the following year. Both artists have carved a distinctive musical niche, deliberately eluding the mainstream appeal of more simplistic and template-based styles of electronic music, as their music tends to blur the lines between chillout, downtempo, ambient, and even IDM. Although Data Rebel previously remixed Jani R's "A Thousand Flares" on our imprint, these two extraordinary artists now present their first official collaboration: the cinematic, three-track "Gateways" EP.
Data Rebel and Jani R's "Approaching," seemingly set to a rain-soaked backdrop, kicks off the "Gateways" EP. Somber strings and a mellow piano theme paint a thoughtful melody in the listener's mind that echoes with distant memories. Carrying with it a profound weight, the composition offers the listener a space to ponder one's emotional and psychological burdens and come away with a sense of clarity.
The evocative "Altitudes" is built upon a staticky rhythm that steadily burns throughout the duration of the song. Entrancing the listener, the patient upward build of the syncopated, IDM-influenced rhythm, as well as myriad distant, yet beautiful string themes, elicit an infinitely deep state of contemplation.
Seizing upon the pensive and brooding aura of the release as a whole, Data Rebel and Jani R close their "Gateways" EP with "Scorned," the internal circuitry of which is laid out in lines of copper wire, which elicit rhythmically coordinated sparks and crackles throughout the song. An off-kilter, yet hypnotic drum sequence reinforces the suspenseful and often haunting soundscape. As a whole, this stirring composition lucidly and poignantly expresses a 'scorned' emotional state; one's suffering is eased with the recognition that, together, we can survive the vicissitudes of life.
Tracklist
| 1. | Approaching | 5:06 |
| 2. | Altitudes | 5:29 |
| 3. | Scorned | 4:39 |
