Philip Maier’s LACK is a logical extension of the time he has spent pushing boundaries in other acts. Whether cutting up post-punk and digital pop tropes in VVAQRT or rerouting electronics to the stars in Sagan Youth, Maier loves to tinker with form. His outlet for warped, alternately gorgeous and garish techno-based compositions, LACK picks up on this spirit. His two major releases from 2015, Atemporal and Perhorresces, use it to build broad, involving structures from simple ideas.
Released last month, Atemporal trends toward the experimental side. While patches of light occasionally shine through these songs, the record feels like a maze of abstract electronics and elliptical percussion. But as you lock into the logic, you hear Maier toying with rhythm. Elements careen in and out unexpectedly. “Paddhereen” suggests an exploration of the earth’s interior, with strange, throbbing echoes resonating from crevices unknown. “Multum In Parvo” revels in muscular bass and spiraling synths. The wide sense of space and eerie mechanical lurches suggest an overhead drone, documenting the dying sights and sounds of an abandoned factory’s half-working machines.
