Triple Point

The drummer from Destroyer, a fellow named Scott Morgan, moonlights as Loscil. With Triple Point, it appears he's made a laptop ambient concept record about thermodynamics. Some hints: "Hydrogen," "Discrete Entropy," "Fuel Exergy," "Enthalpy," and "Vapour." Wait — the record isn't even close to being that boring. (And at least Morgan uses actual pronounceable words as titles for his compositions, rqkght? Rqkght.) Snagging the listener early on with the sublime pulsing of "Hydrogen," Morgan regularly finds a central texture or rhythm and applies as little ornamentation as possible for maximum impact. Throughout the remainder of these 60 minutes, the listener is treated to finely detailed and rather glitch-free ambient. Aside from the relatively amiable and forward flow of the opener, Triple Point vacillates between the haunting and the soothing. It's almost a shame that the record doesn't bear the logo of a label that's more known for delivering this type of thing. Having been released by Kranky — a label that's nonetheless established and as forward-looking as they get — their logo probably won't be able to attract the attention of experimental techno fans who remain loyal to a few select labels and choose not to venture outside of that tiny realm. Pay no mind to the label and pay no mind to the producer's locale (Vancouver isn't Cologne or Detroit); Triple Point is one of the finest — and most varied — ambient techno releases of 2001.