Description
#minorscience #vinyl #vinylrecords
Minor Science, the alias of Angus Finlayson, presents the third incarnation of his Absent Friends series on Balmat, a label run by Albert Salinas and Philip Sherburne. The series, known for its unconventional format, has evolved from a collage-esque DJ mix to an “infinitely looping minisite,” and now manifests as Finlayson’s second album. Here, he transforms live material into jittery, mercurial soundscapes, drawing inspiration from the ambient works of Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto rather than the club frenzy of his previous efforts. Despite this shift towards an explorative, beatless direction, traces of the rave energy from his earlier 064 EP and debut album, Second Language, remain evident in the buzzing synths and sonic objects that race and collide throughout the album.
The album opens with ‘Introduction,’ where cymbal-like brassy tones are stretched into shimmering clockwork molasses, setting a frozen-in-time atmosphere. This theme continues in ‘Dread the Evening,’ where decelerating plunks play with negative space, creating a sense of anticipation and a micro world of electrical crushes and voices that slip out of reach. The contrast between still and scattered sounds is a recurring motif throughout the album. In ‘Summer Diary,’ dense abstractions of clattering plates and cups are thrown into a pool of reverb, leading into ‘Life Texture,’ where slow chords and skittering audio clips evoke contemplative joy. ‘Contingency’ further explores this duality, with its staccato arpeggios fluctuating and fizzing until they fill the track with a reverent, drumless trance.
Absent Friends Vol. III showcases elastic sonic manipulations that zip and expand, reflecting both the clamor of the world and its moments of solitude. Minor Science masterfully explores the interplay between stillness and chaos, resulting in an album that offers a contemplative and immersive listening experience.
