Isan - Lamenting Machine [Morr Music 169]

Scheduled for release via Morr Music on October 18th, 2k19 is "Lamenting Machine", the ninth studio album by Antony Ryan and Robin Saville who are better known to fans and followers of quality electronic music under their nom de guerre that is Isan. Formed in 1996 and associated with the Morr Music label for two decades now the duo of Electronica pioneers opens their new eight track journey with "From A Hundred", a beautifully caressing tune which was already featured on these pages earlier this month, before "Memory Cascades" brings forth crystalline, chiming melodies floating atop of interestingly syncopated, crisp and dry beat structures and obvious, organic Indietronica influences. With "Perlon" we see Isan employing a dreamy ChillOut vibe bordering echoes of Ambient Post-PostRock and / or PopAmbient, the "Ichthyosaur" is more of a friendly, curious, playful, multilayered and polyrhythmic beast frolicking through the meadows whilst "Strix Aluco" reveals a more solemn, (Neo)Cosmic-infused side of the groups outstanding musical work. Furthermore "Ephemeroptera" brings forth more fascinating polyrhythms as well as meandering meoldies and time signatures for the musically knowledgeable follower of Ambient, Electronica and IDM, "Calliscope" is building up slowly only to create tender, fragile and scenic structures as well as a huge, slightly dubbed out bass and rhythm foundation for highly advanced late night dancefloors before the concluding title track "Lamenting Machine" seems to redefine the Ambient Rave genre for 2019 in a masterly crafted manner. Isan being as Isan as they can. Lovely.