Listencorp review image of data system convergence by asvmr

Data-System Convergence

ASVMR

EP
Experimental

Liam Murphy

June 25, 2019

Tracks in this feature

Tracks in this release

A cacophony of sparkling keys buzz violently at the listener as Neural Bliss commences. The track drifts onwards, a droning…

A cacophony of sparkling keys buzz violently at the listener as Neural Bliss commences. The track drifts onwards, a droning feedback note is accompanied by a two-note loop. The loop gives the track a desolate feeling, everything tinged with a melancholic, dystopian glow.

The original keys fall away, and what sounds like gunfire stutters in the background. The two-note loop begins to phase in and out of frame, pulsing and beeping before coming to an end.

Nanocataclysm starts aggressively, much like the first track. Feedback peeks out through the silence to warn us away. A rapid-fire synth sound weaves in and out of earshot. There is a bleak noiselessness in the middle of the track as sparse instrumentation is built around it. The instruments within the track often seem to shirk melody, opting for ascending and descending dissonance. The track reaches a crescendo as the stabbing synth finds an intensely resonant conclusion.

A cyborg cymbal hums to life in Cybernetic Negentrophy, it’s transient features captured in a synthetic elongating of its sound. Again it plays, and we fall into a atmosphere of reverbed synth that descends further into the cave of sound, accompanied by an overdriven, breathing distortion in the background.

Laser-like synths bubble up to the surface. The track revolves, sounding like a forgotten alleyway in a Philip K Dick novel. Like we can hear a myriad of sounds from a futuristic cityscape. An arpeggiating synths makes its way to the forefront, scanning and analysing us. The atmosphere created is less aggressive, but still speaks to this stained, dystopian aesthetic that is created so successfully.

A synth sample that sounds more like a garage hook tries to bring some melodic order to the track but is swiftly inched out by the cataclysmic instrumentation created.

Warm, watery synths begin Axiomatic Connection. Sounds grow steadily, finding root and weaving around the main chord progression. The beeping and squeaking ever-present, though this time with a more positive tinge to it. A slow, stumbling drum line begins, trying to drag the track into a rhythmic flow. It moves along steadily, taking all of the beautiful sounds along for the ride. We move away from a desolate landscape, slowly but surely.

Net-Sentience Erruption starts once again with this half-organic, half-synthesised percussion. So much of the EP seems to carry with it some form of both life and automation. Like a poor human of the future who’s life is prolonged by robotic augmentations. Another positive sounding loop eases into frame. Skies become clearer above us. There’s a deep sense of melodic journey about the track. Rather than creating an atmosphere, ASVMR has instilled a musical progression that plays out. A moaning guitar wails over the track, half Jimi Hendrix, half futuristic alarm. Fringed ever so often with a brief dance across organ keys. An instrument spreads itself across everything as we lose the quaint instrumentation in a sea of noise.

Augmented Mortality hisses into life. A cold dust descends, bringing with it another warm, pulsing synth. A percussion track splutters into existence. An ambivalence is created. Not as positive as the preceding tracks, but not intimidating like the start of the EP. Maybe we have a made it to a safer part of ASVMR’s world. Where the natural cycle of life just plays out for us to enjoy. As the track comes to a close, one can’t be sure what the conclusion is. So assaulted we were in the first half, it’s hard to experience a slow-moving, thoughtful track at the very end. Regardless, ASVMR’s EP is extremely interesting to listen to, pulling in so many different emotive directions, and creating so many mangled, digitised landscapes along the way.

Listen here: http://hangingarden.bandcamp.com/album/data-system-convergence