Album Review: Ad Infinitum - Infinite Scale

Album Review: Ad Infinitum - Infinite Scale

26 March, 2009
by: Music Team

Ambient records are tough to review. It takes a special mood to listen to an entire long-play ambient record, usually at the end of an energetic rave up, or during a drawn-out Sunday death-rattle. Precisely because you are usually either heavily stoned, or a music reviewer on a mission, ambient tunes have to be pretty much spot on. Or you're going to notice. It's going to jerk you upright.

I'm happy to report therefore that Infinite Scale's new album Ad Infinitum is brilliantly well-crafted; a seamless and rather beautiful journey with some stand out tracks, but a coherent and compelling whole. A rich ambient heritage is referenced throughout, from the dub rattle of Mad Professor to a few glitched-up post-breaks segments. The man has a great ear and such discords and time signature skips as there are, clearly form part of the journey.

Some of the production is familiar, or referential. The album boldly begins with piano chords and features a haunting vocal sample up front, and as the whole progresses the bass and melody lines are overlaid with cosmic baoding balls and trance arpeggios. The most original and binding element  in the album is the deep basslines, which make every track a gentle pleasure and occasionally stir into action.

Ludicrously monickered 'Quibtone Frame' and 'Behind The Scenes' have the best shuffling, dubby basslines, 'Step Above The Surface' is probably the most unsettling track with a vaguely church-y feel. Stand out track 'Knock Twice' builds the most tempo, reminding me of a youthful flirtation with Banco de Gaia. There are several dreamy moments and only a couple of tracks('Decisions of Despair' and 'Slow Down') where the melodic line feels a bit like a producer going up and down his keyboard.

Overall, a great composition. It's hard to get evangelical about ambient music. You don't want to drag your mates over to your house to listen to this. But you can put it on when everyone is past talking. Hell, yeah.

Check out all London Electronica
Check out all London DJ Music
Check out things to do in London.

Music Team