Pasted Lakes

Nick Forte's arrival in the Schematic crew is worthy of mention. On Pasted Lakes he squeezes in 15 tracks in only a little over half-an-hour. Sitting right at home between the hyperactive techno of Otto Von Schirach, and the mellower but just as complex click work of Dino Felipe, his music consists of thumping beats, treated fuzz guitar (or what sounds like it, at least), odd synth lines, and stabs of electronic textures. Things occasionally border on noise territory. For instance, "Green Language" evokes at times a softer version of Merzbow's album Merzbeat. This cut kicks off the disc in elegant fashion. Forte's statement is convincing; his blend of experimental techno and grittier elements doesn't sound like so many lo-fi projects, instead it has class and polish. After this track (at four-and-a-half minutes long), the music becomes splintered into short tableaux ranging from 33 seconds to under three minutes (the penultimate piece, "Wolf Cry," stretches out to four minutes). Each track is focused, over-saturated with ideas, and begging for repeated listens to break down its codes and mysteries. Taken one by one, some of the tracks appear to be abstract and lack purpose, but as a whole Pasted Lakes makes sense as a fast-paced assemblage of tunes that retain a faint dancefloor element while exploring the confines of noise. The closing "Join Us" drops the beat to present a delicate study in tone color. Although LP and CD versions of this release are identical, you might want to choose the LP, simply because the break between sides will allow you to catch your breath. ~ François Couture, Rovi