STRANGE IMPERFECTION

An artist from Spain who is new to me, Javier Miranda's ingenious and cracked-glass 21st Century perspective and reinterpretation of old-school electronica sounds and styles is quite refreshing, if also a bit unsettling.

1. "Opening" (2:01) lots of brilliantly treated sounds give this opener a very dystopian, futuristic, Blade Runner 2049 feel. Even the old-time upright piano that breaks up the synthesizer party in the second minute feels as if it could be old-man Deckard playing an out-of-tune piano in his antiquated hotel. (4.5/5)

2. "The Days of Our Lives" (9:40) slow, simple and melodic, this song opens with some slowly developed layers of synths that cast their beautifully hypnotic spell on us--until the three minute mark, that is, when programmed techno drums with their bullet-ripping bass pedal burst onto the scene and begin to dominate in an almost humorous A-HA-like way. When they cut out at the end of the sixth minute, we are left with what sound like the shards of a broken song as piano, guitar, organ, and other instruments repeat their little riffs as if each in their own worlds--the timing of each track seeming to drift off into differing universes and yet, somehow, still feel cohesive and whole! Fascinating! "Drums" return, Mellotron-like choral bank enters beneath soloing upper-register synth. It's cheezy, like a lot of the 80s were, but somehow, at the same time, charming. (17.5/20)

3. "Swarm Days" (9:34) manipulated and pure piano sounds play a series of arpeggi in an eerie cross between Mike Odlfield "Tubular Bells" and other horror genre theme musics that use warped and contused childhood for their themes. Children's piano joins in during the second minute only exaggerating this effect--especially as the children seem to be drifting off into different directions. The rising tension begs the question: Will they collide and conflict or will these self-isolating behaviors continue? In the fifth minute a unified (MIDI-ed) middle-range keyboard and metallic percussive join the party, but their angular, idiosyncratic "song" seems to have a pacifying effect. In fact, the other "children" all stop (to listen?) while MIDI stumbles on. In the seventh minute, even MIDI is faded out--replaced by a bass-range synth and then, later, echoed in the background (as if from another room). Still eerie but beautiful. And cinematic. The slow-shifting two chord synth wash beneath all of this is actually quite comforting--like the calm and steady presence of older siblings or parents. (18.5/20) 4. "Interlude" (2:47) euphonium-like synth steadily pulsing away its melody line is soon joined by angular melody played by banged up/mentally unstable circus calliope. (4.25/5)

5. "Keyholder" (5:50) super-fast arpeggio sequence from some small chimes is joined by another early techno/70s drum sequence and then other synth washes and arpeggiating riffs. Sounds almost like something from an early TALKING HEADS studio session. IN the fourth minute the drums back away for a bit while some keyboard arpeggi float to the fore, but then they return in full with "heavily effected electric guitar"-like lead instrument soloing in the front and center with a few long-sustained notes. (8.5/10)

6. "State of Mind" (9:07) slowly patterned MIDI-Gamelan tubular bells are slowly joined by the rising of a series of four GENESIS-like Mellotron choral bank chords. Broken Mellotron calliope chords join in during the third minute. The "modernization" of effected Mellotron play seems such a twisted "tribute" to early KING CRIMSON and GENESIS and other bands whose music may have been dripping in 'tron. At 4:12 the 'trons desist and a new set of sequences establish themselves in a weave before electronic bass drum steps in with a Disco beat. The weave continues to add instruments, thickening the soundscape. When "snare"and "cymbals" join in, the beat becomes more akin to the straight-time beats on Alan Parsons' I Robot album. Some shifting in the eighth minute reveal a new sound that sounds very much like the early electronic music of JEAN-MICHEL JARRE. (17.5/20)

7. "Ending" (3:19) three heavily treated piano notes, each played over four equal measures, ad infinitum, in quarter notes in a Largo 4/4 time, over which more heavily-treated shrill piano notes play. I find myself reminded of Harold Budd and Brian Eno's "Chill Air" from Plateaux of Mirror as well as both "Home" and the final song from the second disc of David Sylvian's Gone to Earth, "Upon This Earth". Nice. (8.75/10)

Total Time 42:18

While there is a definite cleverness to the creativity of Javier's music--his treatment of old, traditional synthesizer sounds is definitely 21st Century (as is his unabashed exploration of interpretations of mental illness perspectives)--is cutting edge and ingenius. There is quite a little nod to Brian Eno (and Harold Budd's) going on here--especially to his Ambient and Music For Films albums. At the same time, I'm not sure if an album of interpretations of instability, nostalgia for adolescence, and childish perspectives on the world is enough to be called dazzling much less earth-shattering. I, for one, will await Javier's magnum opus.

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--especially if you love Berlin School electronica and have been waiting to see where 21st Century artists can and will take it.

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