Precenphix - Off-Axis
This review was commissioned through Ko-fi. However, it bears no weight on the score or decision. All reviews are written from an unbiased standpoint.
Ben Rabenold and his business partner who goes by the name of Will run a very small indie record label called Not Yet Remembered. And it's on this label that they release a variety of music, including Rabenold's very own IDM, techno, and generally electronic project named Precenphix. His latest release under Precenphix is titled "Off-Axis", a fourteen-track album. Rabenold describes the album as "quite self-referential, dealing with my own personal mental and physical maladies...namely migraine headaches and anxiety as well as the techniques I use to deal with both." While I don't see the correlation between theme and music, I can say that Precenphix is a proficient IDM producer, and "Off-Axis" is a good example of that.
Sep 05 2022
Ben Rabenold and his business partner who goes by the name of Will run a very small indie record label called Not Yet Remembered. And it's on this label that they release a variety of music, including Rabenold's very own IDM, techno, and generally electronic project named Precenphix. His latest release under Precenphix is titled "Off-Axis", a fourteen-track album. Rabenold describes the album as "quite self-referential, dealing with my own personal mental and physical maladies...namely migraine headaches and anxiety as well as the techniques I use to deal with both." While I don't see the correlation between theme and music, I can say that Precenphix is a proficient IDM producer, and "Off-Axis" is a good example of that.
“Off-Axis” starts with ‘Home’, a quick thirty-six second opening track that could have potentially evolved into something more. Flowing water is sampled, in the beginning the ticking sound of what could be compared to a clock is played, and eventually warm and fuzzy synths break the wall. To me, it felt like it was cut short and could have been longer. Alas, I’ll take thirty-six seconds of bliss over three-minutes of redundant beats. Following this comes ‘Fenced In’. I wasn’t too huge on this track as I feel that the individual elements, as nice as they sound, couldn’t quite mesh with one another. The backing synths, IDM backdrop went well together but the choral voices were disjointed from both themselves, and the music.
Solid production is found on ‘Scutellaria Lateriflora’. A slight bassline with buzzer like presses and an ambient, tense backdrop makes up the opening portion of the track. After wind chimes jingle, further samples decorate the song and form this quasi-neo-noir soundtrack for the digital age. The mystery continues into ‘Vaultz’, which again echoes tension. It’s the subtle touches of backing synths that add up this heightening presence. ‘The Open Cabinet’ leads us into more traditional territory; less soundtrack or mood and more song. A simple bassline brings us from front to back, edging us along our journey with odd synth work.
‘Kavalactones’ has a chorus effect in the beginning and strives heavily towards IDM and electro territory. A comfortable combination of ticking beats and ambient pacing that mismatch one another yet work in harmony. ‘Postdrome’ takes it down a notch; a deep revelation into slow paced production and unwinding minds spiraling out of control. At first, ‘Timo’ seems to just replicate the standard drone affair before busting out industrial synth lines. A bit repetitive, but overall a good time. I wasn’t a big fan of the experimental and lo-fi nature of ‘Triptan’ as none of the sounds on the song evoked something from me. No emotion, feeling in general; just a desire to move onto the next bit.
‘In the Courtyard’ is the soundtrack to some screwed up acid trip in rough and heavy dive bar. Playing with heavy percussion and crunchy industrial elements, it’s sleazy in all the right ways. I feel like the majority of the build-up on ‘Lost’ wasn’t worth the payoff in the end, as it dives into a miscalculated field of broken beats and palettes that don’t work with one another. A variety of arcade-y sounds fly off of ‘Ubrogepant’, somewhat resembling what could be found in an old cyberpunk movie. I don’t have much to say for ‘Blot’ other than that it ticks the right IDM marks; perhaps a bit too generic for the genre to stand out. The last song on the album is a positive, ambient, and hopeful track; much like watching the sun rise.
While I won’t say that I’m crazy for this album, I do
respect it. There are minor humps and bumps and a few low points, but the highs
take out the lows like nothing. Seven out of ten.
Steven Gullotta
info@brutalresonance.comI've been writing for Brutal Resonance since November of 2012 and now serve as the editor-in-chief. I love the dark electronic underground and usually have too much to listen to at once but I love it. I am also an editor at Aggressive Deprivation, a digital/physical magazine since March of 2016. I support the scene as much as I can from my humble laptop.
Share this review
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Shares
Buy this release
Bandcamp
Krystal System - Underground is available at POPONAUT from 21,45€
Related articles
Monomorte - 'The Three Mothers'
Review, Dec 01 2015
x.a.o.s. - 'Psychomachy'
Review, May 15 2013
Boy from the Crowd - 'Where the Bees Come to Die'
Review, Jan 14 2016
Matthew Santos - 'Into the Further'
Review, Jun 09 2015
Various Artists - 'Swedish Old School EBM 2013'
Review, Jan 08 2014
