Refractions

‘Dissolved’, a new album by Serbian synthesist and sound designer Jan Nemeček, began its life cycle in a studio live room. It unpacks the paradigm of the individualistic act of computer music creation, transporting it into the communal setting of a band, its performers contributing elements ranging from prepared piano to Turkish lyre.

The album opens with an unexpected falter, a false start that imbues the album with a sense of vulnerability. It's as if the album itself is finding its footing, mirroring the dissonance of an orchestra tuning. This digital ensemble, an assembly of electronic voices, seems to search for its harmony, its discord, its pitch, its timbre - much like a traditional counterpart would.

As it unfolds, ‘Dissolved’ further taps into the raw tonalities of partially defunct digital synthesizers, ranging from early 2000s’ attempts at neural networks to precursors of oscillator-laden software synthesizers, in order to build its cloud of suspended tension and alternate histories. Through this clash of wistful piano and biting frost of digital pads with the iridescent hum of tube amps, the album reflects New Age tropes through the prism of metal (machine) music.

1. Tunings I (9:11)
2. Tunings II (2:19)
3. Organ Dissolution (8:16)
4. Hoover Phase (6:12)
5. Shards (6:02)
6. On Subtle Horizon (7:23)
7. True (4:43)

Pontic lyre on ‘Organ Dissolution’ by Branislav Jovančević Bass guitar on ‘Hoover Phase’ by Vladimir Mitrović Prepared piano on ‘Shards’ by Lukatoyboy Verbos synthesizer on ‘On Subtle Horizon’ by Miloš Hadžić ‘Shards’ contains samples of ‘Listening Station’ by Kalope ‘On Subtle Horizon’ contains samples of ‘Jurjevo’ by Nemeček Artwork by Emir Šehanović Graphic design by Bratislav Milenković Distributed by Cargo Records Germany GmbH