Looping State of Mind

Axel Wilner’s one-man ambient project The Field released its 2007 debut, From Here We Go Sublime, to much critical acclaim. The Swede’s follow-up, 2009’s Yesterday and Today, changed things up a bit by adding live musicians to the electronic mix. Looping State of Mind builds on those two albums. The relentless chug of “Is This Power” (presumably supplied by drummer Jesper Skarin) supports a dizzyingly repeating riff and also has a totally sick bass line. “It’s up There” feels like a variation of the first track; deep into the cut, when the bass and drums step forward, it comes off like mutant disco. The blissed-out “Burned Out” rumbles along on an intriguing groove, as vocals, almost-churchy organ, and guitar rifflets ride the flow. (One nice touch: the use of sustained, Robert Fripp–like tones.) “Arpeggiated Love” evokes Terry Riley’s ecstatic stasis, while the title track builds and builds into a gargantuan juggernaut of sound. “Sweet Slow Baby” uses a staggering rhythmic sample as the foundation of a towering edifice: the track’s combination of grandeur and clunkiness works.