Ben Chatwin — Klasis

Right from the start, the title track of the album moves forth and expands like one might picture an explosion or growth of the universe. With strings adding urgency to the propulsive and rhythmic beat, Klasis hits the ground running. The back and forth, push and pull of the layers quickly builds tension, which is Chatwin's stated goal. This also helps to reinforce the growth and explosion that one can envision by listening, but also hinted at with the cover art. Expansion requires energy and force, and what comes from the speakers is truly that. "Caldera" continues this tense expanse, but playing more toward the strings, one is given a little more of a cinematic experience. Like an interstellar craft hurtling through the far reaches of a galaxy, time and space become one, the past, present, and future all converge on a single point. But really, everything exists in one point (now) to the observer, so "Caldera" challenges the listener with its enigmatic and evocative tones, allowing them to drift off into their own expanse while this electronic bliss surrounds their ears. Our reflection on "Caldera" was just the beginning, as "Through the Prism" unleashes the cello even further, giving a quick but effective bit of self-analysis and introspection. Richly textured, the strings bounce off of the arpeggiated synths, with the layers rising and falling, sometimes constructively, sometimes destructively, giving the listener many paths to take to reach the end. Which journey you choose depends on the session, and "Through the Prism" is one that impresses each time. "Klast" wraps up Klasis nicely, expanding upon the themes presented in the three previous tracks. While the EP may be complete, the journey has just begun, hit play and begin the process anew. Each trip through Klasis is its own experience and the listener will grow and change as they want, like the explosions started on "Klasis."

 

Short, to the point, and delightfully decadent, Klasis from Ben Chatwin gives the listener an enigmatic look at synths, strings, and wonderful, textural interplay. And although it is just an EP in length, its tale is a lot longer, one that resets and repeats like a big bang/big crunch, allowing for many different experiences and emotions. Hopefully we will get to hear more from Ben sooner rather than later, and get to see where our post-Klasis minds will take us next. For more