Thomas Köner — Motus
Low and bubbling, Motus feels like magma trying to burst through the Earth's tough crust and present itself to an awaiting world. A lot of the action on this album takes place underneath the expected tonal areas and this adds a lurking sense of dread, which is wonderfully juxtaposed by the uptempo beats that are often propelling the song forward. Admittedly, this is a strange structure and approach for a song that aims at theoretical "dance music," but if someone doesn't make strides, no one will. The synths used capture the thickness of sound very well, and when the beat bursts forth, it comes with all the more aplomb. Motus has some truly fascinating and wonderfully head-nodding moments to it. On the other side of sound, Köner's latest has another half that allows the murk to twist and reverberate on its own. Slowly oscillating in the depths, these tracks act as the breeding ground for the more active half of the album. Swirling and interacting, different tones and textures come together to form sonic shapes and feelings which will be released when the pressure is right. While Motus may not sound like an Earthly album, the parallels between its construction and our planet's seem to be numerous. Shifting, oscillating, and constantly moving, Motus acts like a living entity, constantly refreshing and renewing.
Thomas Köner's Motus is a wonderfully thoughtful and engaging piece of electronic music. Released by the fine folks at Mille Plateaux, getting the awareness of this album to the masses is quite a gift. Giving one thought as to what the future could bring or what could have been in a different world, Motus is an excellent electronic composition that gets deeper with each listen.