BUZINKY: Lush, minimal, vamping electronica
Andrew J. Klimek | South Plainfield, NJ | 10/29/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Near the Parenthesis returns just one year after "Of Soft Construction" with another standout electronica album of lush, warm, subtle, and pensive soundscapes. In "L'Eixample," Tim Arndt sticks even closer to his winning formula. Start with a swirling backdrop of reverberating, reversed, and modulating organs and guitars. Then, built a mild IDM beat, and fill the spaces with keyboard vamping and overheard conversations.
Perhaps they're just reading the promo blurb on the cd case, but many reviewers hail this release as Arndt's most focused and mature album, as inspired by his trips to the L'Eixample region of Barcelona. This is a fair claim, but doesn't necessarily equal "good." Bands that are bursting with all types of musical notions may need some maturing and focusing, and a purely ambient artist may as well, but for such subtle electronica, it is debatable.
It's sort of an odd thing--don't get me wrong. Ambient music is my favorite type, and this is great ambient elecronica. However, While his previous album was on my "best of 2007" collection, I had a hard time picking a standout track. And now, in comparison, L'Eixample is even more non-descript. The entire album is lovely, and feels like it's about to blossom into something amazing, but it never really gets there. Pandora calls this "extensive vamping." It's my favorite variable in their algorithm, but man! This album REALLY vamps EXTENSIVELY.
-The Buzinky Blog"
Headphone Commute Review
Headphone Commute | 09/01/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Tim Arndt is back with another release on n5MD! L'Eixample is immediately a more mature, focused, and detail-oriented design. The title (Catalan for "extension") refers to a Spanish district in Barcelona, and indeed draws on impressions and inspirations on Arndt's latest travels to Spain. The production employs a composition of subdued tones and light beats that moves even further into the realm of melodic, atmospheric, and ambient IDM. Arndt lays down the foundation of swirling, reversed and reverberated pads, adding micro programmed rhythms sprinkled with gentle, glitchy, and fuzzy digital errors, all wrapped with an emotional theme of warm melodies, and an occasional eavesdropped conversation in the background. L'Eixample is Arndt's third full length release under the solo project, Near The Parenthesis, following on the heels of the 2007 album, Of Soft Construction, on n5MD as well. Arndt's past experience includes playing guitar and piano for several bands, most notable among them is the Urban Needle project with Steve Mehlman (Pere Ubu) and Mark Gamiere (The Wake). I would say that L'Eixample has more texture then Arndt's previous work, improving on creativity, atmospherics and the overall listening experience. L'Eixample is a further extension of Near The Parenthesis unique style and production techniques that have been perfected once again. Excellent music for those tranquil lazy mornings. Recommended if you follow n5MD's excellent roster, which includes Last Days, Bitcrush, SubtractiveLAD, and Another Electronic Musician."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1