Rossz Csillag Alatt Született

At last, music that reminds me of Aphex Twin that I actually like. This album has two striking elements that, combined, are really doing it for me.

First, a strong classical influence. Venetian Snares is constantly sampling classical music: Paganini, Stravinsky, Telemann, Elgar. You can read the full list on Wikipedia if you're interested. The classical music gives the album a formal, dignified mood.

This combines well with the second element: hard cuts and transitions. This music isn't mushy. Its lines are dagger sharp. Sometimes highly polished electronic music can feel sterile, but this music is too complex and daring to risk that result. Venetian Snares cuts from sample to sample in a frenetic way that will be familiar to anyone who has listened to Aphex Twin, and--much like Aphex Twin--is capable of building structures of transporting sound.

Not every track is a success. There are moments of pretentiousness, moments that lack purpose (the entire first track, in which someone hits a few aimless notes on a piano, is baffling to me), and moments that are too chaotic and cluttered. But the album has a cornucopia of breathtaking highs that make it more than worth it. Try "Hajnal," which combines classical music with smooth, jazzy high-hat work that is a delight to listen to. Or "Szamár Madár," which assembles from an aimless start a remarkably catchy dance track. I even love the odd beginning of "Második Galamb," in which a woman speaks to a pigeon. (The end of that track is less pleasant.)

Overall, a highly memorable album that I was pleased to discover.

UPDATE: I am upgrading this album to a 3/3. Yes, it's messy and unpleasant in parts, but when I was making my end-of-the-year list, it was obvious to me that this album had some of the most captivating moments that I listened to this year. I wish that it were cleaner, but maybe the bizarre stuff is enabling the brilliant stuff in a way that I am not musically sophisticated enough to understand! I will accept it as it is.