Greetings to one and all ChipWINizens joining us for this wonderful “Pumpkin Spice” edition of Stoking the Forge. This month, my attention turns to the heavily spiced late August release by aliceffekt, ‘Damoiseau + Canalx’.

aliceffekt is the alias of the interactive developer Devine Lu Linvega, a globe-trotting adventurer possessing multiple artistic talents, predominantly focused on drawing, programming and musical expression.

‘Damoiseau + Canalx’ was a side project for aliceffekt, worked on while his next full release was coming together. He described it as an exploration of industrial and darkstep in the spirit of his previous release, ‘Blam, Le Passage Sacrilege‘.

The circumstances of production really captured my attention. ‘Damoiseau + Canalx’ was recorded as it was played live at the final AMP event at Passport in Montreal. It was released as it was played that night, displaying an unwavering self-assurance in his skill that I respect.

The music itself is as murky and percussive as one would expect from anything sporting labels like “industrial” and “dark”. That just serves as a nice bit of backdropping, and isn’t the end-all definition of this release. Each track has its own defining characteristics that demand a closer look, so let’s get down to it!

Korben Dallas– Opening with a low, haunting kick that fades to silence and ending on another kick that fades into white noise, these eerie landmarks serve as excellent capstones to a hard hitting track. The track is primarily a thrumming and percussive composition that transitions between marching and walking, demanding attention regardless of pace. With the particular choice of title, its hard not to let the driven components of the track remind one of some of the Fifth Element’s better action scenes.

Damoiseau + Canalx by aliceffekt

Pop In The Year 9000 – While retaining some of the percussive qualities of ‘Korben Dallas’, ‘Pop In The Year 9000’ takes the tempo to a more subdued place. One might think that the combination to be a bit at odds with itself. However, I found it to be simultaneously meditative and engaging, an excellent piece of workday background music. There’s enough punch to keep your attention focused, but not so much that you can’t direct your focus to another matter at hand.

I must say though, that the singular vocal bit in the track took me out of that focused state. It certainly grabs the attention of the listener (as I’m still curious about just where the clip came from), and is well timed and placed, but I would preferred being able to stay in my meditative state.

Damoiseau + Canalx by aliceffekt

Blam, le Passage Sacrilege – On the EP’s Bandcamp page, aliceffekt notes that pieces of his August 2011 release, ‘Blam, le Passage Sacrilege’, were used in the creation of ‘Damoiseau + Canalx’, and the choice in name on this track is a clear nod to that fact.

Here, the prominence of the percussion gives some leeway to the rest of the instrumentation compared to the previous tracks. The wipes, wobbles, and other impressively onomatopoeic sound sources (this includes a steam train) are allowed to show off a bit more here, which lends more variety to the auditory construction of the track, and helps it stand out from the rest of the EP.

I say “some leeway”, because all of that only helps accentuate the bassline. The themes of gabber are fully embraced here. The crispness and violence the percussion is capable of is fully highlighted as it comes on suddenly and packs enough punch to stick with you for a bit afterward. Simply put, this is my favorite track of the entire EP.

Damoiseau + Canalx by aliceffekt

A Thousand Times Parix – The final track on the EP closes the experience by tweaking the established pattern of a consistent and repetitive percussion section constructing the backbone of a track. In its place, sections of a more traditional and airy ambient composition are woven between those thrumming gritty snares that have marked the other tracks on the album. The transitions between these two patterns are refreshingly shocking, with the relaxation induced by the ambient sections shattered by each sudden reintroduction of the drums.

At the end, the two themes begin to merge. The ambient leads grow in presence, seeming to borrow energy from the percussion. The percussion, while diminished in strength, becomes the glue that holds everything together. As the sound fades gently into silence, the otherwise seemingly opposing forces find balance.

Damoiseau + Canalx by aliceffekt

———————————————————————————————————————————

Naturally, the world shifted as I was writing this article, and aliceffekt announced a new EP that is releasing on the 20th of October. Titled, ‘Ten Axitecture’, the 4 track EP is available for pre-order on his bandcamp page. The track below, ‘Opaques of Dinaisth’, is a preview of what’ll be available on the full release.

Ten Axitecture by aliceffekt

If what I heard from it is any indication, ‘Ten Axitecture’ ought to have the same level of talent, albeit with the chiller tones hinted at by ‘A Thousand Times Parix’. If that sounds like your cup of tea, head on over there and check it out.

And while you’re at it…

Get out there, make some chip, and spread the love!

VF

———————————————————————————————————————————

aliceffekt

website | bandcamp | soundcloud | twitter | facebook



Damoiseau + Canalx by aliceffekt

Dig this article? Then consider supporting us on Patreon!