"Electro descended from outer space: with it came strange-beings only partially acting in jest, for their other half was beyond the capacity of our intellect to understand. And so, all we could do was listen, and dance.” This is Solenoid: electro that will be downloaded in 2030 as groundbreaking in its Cydonian composition, cutting in its squelch-driven broken-beats. No pose(r) attitudes, no hype: but also no retro-purism of ancient gear. Solenoid shapes the future, today–the dark, robotic mantra of alien soundscapes encountered on this 12” that pings both dancefloor and headphones. Request: Album, Please.

—Tobias van Veen, e|i

Solenoid - The Lotus Eater (Orac/003)Ein Label aus Seattle dass mit dieser 4 Track EP erst mal so tut als wolltees die Fundamente von Electroclash neu schreiben, dann aber schon gleich auf"Conveyor" eher in eine deep versponnene fast barocke Richtung driftet, auf"Lotus Flower” mit Harmonien die ein wenig an die abseitigeren smootherenSeiten von Drexciya erinnern könnten, aber auch etwas asiatisches haben,schon andeutet wie sehr dieser Unterwasser Slowmotion Tanzstil auf “LotusRadar” zu neuer Blüte kommen wird. “The Inheritors” ist ein Hörspiel vollerPathos und triefender Endzeitgassen in der aus den Gullis Erinnerungen andie 70er hochgespült werden und mit Wirbeln von Electronica versetzt dennochnicht altmodisch wirken. “Entendre” beschliesst diese skurril abseitige aberauf merkwüridge Weise manchmal auch zu poppige EP dann mit einer diesergalaktischen Missverständnisse.

—bleed, de:bug (****)

Portland-based Solenoid (Dave Chandler) has been releasing tracks since the early ‘90s butfirst appeared on my radar back in 1999 with two lovely electro inspired IDM tracks on the excellent Emanatedcompilation.  His latest EP on Seattle’s Orac records is a five-track collection thatsucceeds both at moving the dancefloor with solid beats while also seducing the ears with lush analogsynthwork. 

The opening “Conveyor” lays down a killer buzzsaw acid bassline, whichclears the path for the beats to burst through and get funky while laserlike synth tonesswirl in and out of the soundfield. Solenoid slows down the tempo a bit for the flip-sideopener, “Lotus Radar,” and reveals that you don’t have to sound likeBoards of Canada to create moody downtempo electronic music that is infused with an air of mystery.  The remainder of The Lotus Eater maintains the space-age electro vibesthat Solenoid conjured up, and amply demonstrates that music need not be“groundbreaking” (technologically or compositionally speaking) to be satisfying.

—Howard Shih, Grooves