Joakim’s Tigersushi label has a history for releasing music of a challenging nature, but DyE’s Imperator EP occupies a whole other realm. It’s a strange record; it’s short running time (about 15 minutes over five tracks) leaves you expecting more, but the myriad of nuances and ever shifting moods create a listening experience which is much fuller than the EP’s length belies.
The opening track, “Imperator” begins with the kind of trademark Gallic analog synths which often characterise much of Tigersushi’s roster, but after only a few seconds it launches into a full drum machine assault, dropping heavily compressed beats which combine to create the sound of Principles Of Geometry jamming with Mr Oizo. It’s syncopated rhythm sounds something like dubstep, but with a singularly bleak atmosphere; it has almost no melodic element apart from a solitary synth which never resolves itself, hanging in space. “Star Vac” which follows it is soothing by comparison, starting with a cleansing analog wash and a much simpler 4/4 beat. It may start out sedate, but its narcotic nature is doubled half way through when the tempo slows, and the whole thing takes on the form of a twisted sci-fi instrumental lullaby.
“Neige 606″ is the only track on the record which you could say is straight up dance music; it’s a simple acid house affair, but its flanged rhythms give it a futuristic sheen which compliment the other tracks perfectly. After the short interlude “Dark White”, the EP closes with “Hye This Is Michael Jackson”, a track that probably would have been considered bad taste had it been released after his death, primarily because it doesn’t eulogise him. Rather, the odd nature of the music and speech together reflect what a strange character he had become. Mainly though, the inclusion of his voice on this EP only serves to highlight how far removed from pop music any of this completely alien record is, almost as if DyE is intentionally positioning himself against it, which in his case, proves to be no bad thing. (Posted on Urlaubshits.co.uk)
What's goin' on Dye? You breath as delicately as vapors flowing towards an attractive flame. How it passes there and back again like a tear drop glistening in moonlight. The elves that play in the toasters wash their drum sticks in honey and sing strikingly colored anthems in perfect harmonious pleasure. May you always have stables of horses to service your needs. Your eyes show as many deep and full shades of fire as a volcano in heat. You are dressed with filaments and people take pains to make you fully incandescent this evening. Your eyes show as many deep and full shades of fire as a thousand supernovas. I keep searching for you between the cushions. In your presence even my shadow acquires the sensation of touch. Your tears evoke a taste as memorable as honey. Please let me hear more of that wonderful sound. A starfish's lifelong hallucinations of gelatin pools and of actuaries floating upon the foam and reciprocal ohm. You have not yet reached the height of your creativity. I sense wild vapors of sweet champagne in your larynx.
