MADDRIGAL - "ALMA"

The Paris based experimental electronic artist Maddrigal takes the listener on a nocturnal drive through through electroacoustic processed noise, soothing pads and a synth line that seems to stop time dead in its tracks. "Alma" is the first single and the introduction to the excellent EP "Essence / Lack Thereof" which continues this exploratory sound palate. 

Working in a context where the true genius of this track is happening far below the surface of glowing / floating pads and commanding synth lead, we hear tiny, fluttering electronic lines, synths that movement with seismic waves just below our perceptible hearing and tiny noise gates turning on and off through an excellent use of modular or algorithmic processing. Emotionally, the track hearkens to liminal spaces, places in between or on the peripheries of various shades of feeling. Ennui, curious longing and a wistfulness tempered by experience are all at play here, swirling and intersecting with each other in strange and beautiful new shapes. 

That moment where the synth line stops time comes in just under shy of 2 minutes and the other elements step back for a minute, allowing the brilliance of this minimalist element to stand naked in the spotlight. Fans of Ben Frost and Arca should take note here.