Spacetime Continuum's latest, aptly named Emit Ecaps, is an interesting array of simpler, less mechanical sounds and rhythms - a symmetrical hybrid of pseudo-string instruments, weightless synth hums and chimes, heavy beats, and the occasional blip and buzz, that combine to form a portrait of odd beauty. Emit Ecaps carries a multitude of subtle 808 State references, and could be compared to a smoother, this-worldly Aphex Twin. Surprisingly, the feeling one gets upon listening is that the beat, though often dominant, is meant to massage or hypnotize the listener's ear drums, not aggravate. This is complemented by simple, well-arranged sets of pleasant synth sounds and samples.
"Kairo" is the busiest song on the album, with hyperactive bass and beat to match. "Swing Fantasy" stands out as a clear example of SC's 808 State infatuation. "Vertigo" maintains high danceability with a faster tempo and a hyperactive high hat cymbal. "Twister," a combination of pops and oddly matched tones and sounds, is more like a story than a song, but an enthralling story at that. The listener glides effortlessly through "Pod," one of several tracks that does not fit very well into the "techno" genre, if such a cliche' can be used.
Emit Ecaps is an excellent semi-mellow album that replaces much of the thousand-beats-per-minute mentality of today's techno with its own brand of intensity.
