Anyone who’s followed Steevio over the years will know all too well that the Freerotation man is an individual well accustomed to producing intriguing and always-interesting electronic music. As such, his acquisition by Spanish label Clock Poets is a perfect fit. He perks up here with three intricate jams, the likes of which were all recorded in one take and are very much indicative of the producer at his dizzying best.
All Steevio’s tracks were recorded in real time and are 100% improvised on a Eurorack modular synth and Moog Voyager. Steevio’s modular synth is all analogue, so all the patterns and sounds were created in real time with no pre-planning and with nothing saved digitally. Each track was started about 2 minutes before recording began, to get a rough basis for the track, and from then on is improvised. There was no EQ or compression applied to any of the sounds, they come directly from the VCF/VCAs of the modular, to an analogue mixing desk and recorded as 2-track wavs. The final recordings were then lightly mastered using only an analogue compressor and EQ. There was no concept behind any of these tracks, other than they were driven by an overwhelming feeling of melancholy due to the way human beings are treating our planet, and the destructive forces of capitalism and corporate ecocide.
Kicking off the release is our premiere for today, featuring the sounds of “Fairphone”. A rough-and-ready analogue cut that’s notable for its off-kilter methods and raucous vibes, its scatter-gun approach is a true treat to behold. Taking the listener on a journey that’s always fascinating but never predictable, the track is an eerie yet wonderful cut that’s sure to sound particularly fresh in Steevio’s much-renowned live sets.
Next up is title track, “Pollinators”. This one is geared toward more minimal pastures, and is no less enticing than what’s come before. An intelligent-sounding jam that teases the listener with only brief flourishes of melody, it’s a more restrained offering that’s perfect for the night’s trippier moments.
The B side kicks off with “Lloregan”, by which point we see Steevio in more peak-time mood. immediately upping the ante, this one is loaded with attitude, with its skipping baseline definitely deserving of a suitably big soundsystem.
Seeing us out the gate is label owners Clock Poets, who deliver a thrilling version of “Fairphone”. Much like the track it stems from, it never gets stuck in a rut and instead explores various sounds throughout. An altogether fascinating propos that’s never lacking in colour of personality, Clock Poets’ latest truly is a joy to behold.
Steevio’s Pollinators EP is out July 30th on Clock Poets and available on www.deejay.de
