Artist: SCNTST
Album: Puffer
Label: Boysnoize Records
Release date: 16/02/15
It's with some excitement you listen to new work from SCNTST; he delivers an effective balance of rugged textures, with delicious darker tones. A prolific career so far, SCNTST has rapidly churned out productions before and after his 2013 debut album ‘Self Therapy', and before this 15-track album had even dropped, he'd already finished the EP to follow.
Things start off calmly, with meditative and shimmering Render For Peace. In Life of Acres instruments scatter, spaced out notes offer a soothing feeling, when the bass line welcomes itself a minute in, things go deeper and the LP builds some momentum. Synths added in create a reflective melody, and when taken away you feel the underlying bass. The synths are re-introduced along with echoes and scattered hi-hats, before the crashing of waves create a transition to the next track. There are hip-hop elements with Hygh 2k12 remedying disjointed snares with a voice sample.
Whilst Gletscherspalte incorporates chimes, the rolling beat on Sers is matched with looping synths, charming their way through. Midway he introduces more aggressive rhythms, Mondquelle (reviewed) warms things up for downright dance floor ready Mondquelle (Spirit mix). The two previous and succeeding tracks are soothing, a musical cushioning of trailing and floating melodies.
Samples flicker and subtly placed grooves flicker on UV Houzz, whilst H8 drop offers an uplifting ending of piano keys and tight percussion. Each track delicately flits back and fourth to previous tracks, therefore you're best off enjoying 'Puffer' in its seamless entirety. Then again, a handful of tracks are definitely suited for chilled out moods, whereas some will compliment a sun-drenched early evening set or any minute into 4am.
The album is dreamlike, yet dips into darker territory when the timing fits. The innovative producer has embodied ambient crossed with techno, with bass and break beats occasionally manifesting in between waves and whirls of electronica.
WORDS | Emma Gillet
Tracklist:
01. Render For Peace
02. Life Of Ares
03. Hygh 2k12
04. Gletscherspalte
05. Sers
06. Ice
07. Zuge
08. Mondquelle (Reviewed)
09. Mondquelle (Spirit Mix)
10. Flight
11. Hendy
12. Generated
13. Kristall Edition (Fusion Mix)
14. UV Houzz
15. H8 Drop
