Belgian producer and established composer Poltrock has just released his brand new LP, ‘Machines’, the third and final part of the musician’s album trilogy ‘Mutes, Moods and Machines’, culminating a five-year long process of three full length albums released with a pianesque 88-day interval, all highlighting a different approach to the 88 piano keys. Poltrock has taken the electronic dance music genre and flipped it on its head, creating something that feels both organic and man-made, both ambient and outgoing, and both electronic and analog.
The ‘Machines’ LP starts off with ‘360’; a glowing wave of ambient synth-sounds which moves into an urgent piano note interspersed with glitch, giving the listener a kind of overture to, a taste of, the album in its entirety. Halfway through, the track picks up tempo, only to come back down again, bringing to mind a tumultuous and simultaneously elegant ocean. Poltrock manages to then take the track flawlessly to a straightforward dance-beat sound, finishing off with this heightened electronic energy.
We are then taken straight into the real meaty core of Poltrock’s new album, with second track ‘Cmr’. The piece begins with an ominous bass synth, accompanied by glitchy sound elements and then a harpsichord-esque melody, which is offset beautifully with deep retro synth that builds with distortion and purpose until the end of the track. ‘Titanus’ brings us a slightly brighter mood, with its cinematic swells and bouncy synth melody. The track then (in true Poltrock-style) gives us an unexpected turn, executed with aplomb, closing off with a classical-style piano melody played out over a drone-synth.
You can really hear how Poltrock experiments with piano instrumentation and electronic composition in ‘(And that’s why I don’t want to call this song) Forrow’, using piano melodies like chimes and a deep bass-beat that flow into synthesizers and a wave of glitch. The track then drops into a dancefloor-ready, infectious beat, only to fall away once again to reveal a poignant ambience, scattered with light piano. Track 5 is a personal favourite, and quite possibly the most uptempo piece on ‘Machines’; ‘Pyrus Aculeus’. The piece comes in strong with chest-rattling bass that evolves into a glitchy beat with unique melodic elements and then flows into a dark, driving build that takes the listener to a surprising anti-drop. Classical-style, moody piano then takes centre-stage, transforming eventually into a muted, downtempo beat. To the listener’s delight, the infectious bass-beat is brought back again, this time accompanied by a chilled-out tech-house beat and funky retro synth melody.
‘Muthos’ is cleverly placed as the next track, in juxtaposition to the sounds of ‘Pyrus Aculeus’. Beginning as a delicate, classical-style piano solo, the main melody is joined by ambient synth, acting as a beautiful interlude in the midst of Poltrock’s eclectic sounds. Track 7, ‘Bastl’, switches up the mood and tempo yet again, proving how versatile Poltrock really is. Quick, overlapped, quirky piano elements and a funky bass-line are interspersed with experimental glitchy elements, which Poltrock manages to flawlessly fuse with retro cinematic synth. The LP’s last track, ‘The Paraphonic Machine’, begins with delicate piano and leads us out with ambient synth swells, unique, ‘popping’ electric drum-beats and eclectic melodies.
Listen to ‘Machines’ by Poltrock, below.
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