Various Artists - Inès (2011)

Engaging electronic compilation from up-and-coming trio

Nicolas Jaar is one of the most fascinating talents in electronic music right now. He gives us a short compilation of the works of himself and friends Soul Keita and Nikita Quasim (collectively known as Clown N Sun Collective) in the shape of Inès, a collection of deep, abstract tracks with a smattering of South American flavour, an organic feel to the music and a minimalism so profound that the craft of the producers takes centre stage.

Nikita Quasim is perhaps the most downtempo of the trio, with his two solo contributions; the eeriness and storybook atmosphere of “Freshmen Year” is particularly enjoyable (and makes you wonder if he enjoyed his first year of university very much).

Soul Keita’s work can be said to have a distinct hip hop influence, as you might guess with a track title like “Dusties and 808s”. The minimalism present throughout the album might sound like a strange combination with the drums, but is interwoven beautifully with soul samples. Meanwhile, his second track “Don’t Believe The Hype (Part II)” has more of a dancefloor feel (as much as anything on the record) yet still retains the dark atmosphere of other tracks on here.

So now we come to the main man; and in truth, I was not fully enthralled with Nicolas Jaar’s contribution. The end of the album was disappointing, with “Love You Gotta Lose Again” somewhat stunting the atmospheric feel, and “Don’t Believe The Hype (Part I) failing to recapture it. Having said that, “Dubliners” is a real highlight; an ambient beginning, with strings building up the tension as a South American beat kicks in before being subtly replaced by a snare, then a kick drum.

Perhaps Clown N Sunset Collective’s finest moments come when they combine their talents. “Goin’ Bad”’s slow buildup is well worth the wait, as an infectious bassline feeds into a vocal and beat kicking in. “Her String”, meanwhile, is a chilling night-time anthem. The haunting piano is followed by electronic beeps and a South American-esque string section, creating a really harmonic melange.

This isn’t one of the most accessible records you’ll hear; while it’s easy to appreciate the work of the artists, with the minimalism drawing attention to the slightest of their touches, it’s far from a guarantee that the listener will enjoy the music. This shortcoming is evident on a few of the tracks, such as “Don’t Believe The Hype (Part I) and Quasim’s “Can’t Go To Cuba”. But a patient, probing listener will delight in the touches of near-genius that grace this release from three hugely promising artists.

7/10  





Released by Clown & Sunset, available from Amazon.