Ours is a moment of unbridled optimization – of our bodies, careers, relationships, the list goes on. Experimental music is largely ambivalent when it comes to the performative demands of a well-tempered subject, gloriously free of the strictures of representation, imageless, some might even argue, obsolete. With this in mind, enter Andrea Taeggi’s latest release, Nattdett, which squats quite contentedly in obsolescence, at least in terms of its source material. Sounds culled and coaxed from bygone eras of electronics – including instruments that were never, strictly speaking, destined for musical uses – Nattdett is a percussive exploration, with an intentionally reduced palette. Over six long tracks, Taeggi sequences his outdated technology into mostly cyclical patterns, a grid of repetition that allows the subtlest variations to be experienced.

The overall aesthetic of Nattdett is remarkably consistent, imparting a moody air that falls on the darker end of the sonic spectrum. This is due to the clicky beats that structure each track, which rarely move into the higher registers of the frequency spectrum; and when they do, the pulsating rhythmic attack brings them back down to earth. The standout cut is “Planetesimals”, which cleverly counterposes two separate beats with an encroaching drone that hangs in space like some orbiting ship. I am sure there are other affinities that someone more familiar with this genre might hear, but to my ears, the closest family resemblance is the work of Oren Ambarchi, especially his Sagittarian Domain (2012), though Taeggi favors cyclical over teleological patterns.  

Fans of percussive, minimalist electronica will appreciate the beat-heavy offerings on Nattdett, as will listeners who revel in repetition and its serial logic. Taeggi’s looping manages to anticipate acts of repeated listening, which are happy to go absolutely nowhere, something none of our profiles would appreciate.  To find out more