$uccessor (Ded004)

$uccessor is the first full-length LP from experimental artist Dedekind Cut following several digital releases and a cassette EP (not to mention a previous incarnation under the name Lee Bannon). The album is a chilly, bracing examination of fear and hope, and it's easily the producer's most ambitious work yet. While previous Dedekind Cut recordings incorporated harsh jungle breakbeats and airy, Burial-like U.K. garage rhythms, this album is a haunted blend of ambient, noise, and industrial. It's not completely devoid of beats — Dominick Fernow (Prurient, Vatican Shadow, Hospital Productions) plays atmospheric drums on "Instinct" — but percussion often appears in sporadic bursts rather than continuous rhythms. Several other guest artists and vocalists contribute to the album, including DJ Shadow, Alex Zhang Hungtai (formerly known as Dirty Beaches), and Rabit. Ghostly voices and distant pianos recur throughout the album, and it feels like returning to different points during the same dream. There are plenty of sudden bursts of intense glitching, as well as sorrowful melodies and dark textures influenced by groups like Coil (particularly the sixth track, which is titled by a yin-yang symbol). Dedekind Cut draws on new age as an influence — there's even a limited edition yoga/meditation mat designed in conjunction with the album — but his vision of new age embraces darkness and uncertainty. He's creating something jarring, uncomfortable, and soul-searching rather than just making safe, soothing music for relaxation. He's channeling spirits with this one.