Yvat - Unfolded

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5...according to our Brian on Wed 28 Apr, 2010.

I'm having one of those weeks where I'm totally loving everything that's in my pile and I'm in a really good mood. You wouldn't think I got dumped a few days ago. I'll probably be suicidal next week & get my screwdrivers out and turn nasty with some infuriating piece of vinyl. This new thing on Boltfish is probably one of the most interesting new electronic records I've heard in a long while. I've been pigging out on old Gescom 12"s recently in search of non-dubstep thrills & this 12" has that nice way with abstraction, whilst retaining wonderful stuttering grooves and many a cool ruptured melody here and there. Bucharest native Yvat has been releasing CDs for years on loads of interesting labels but I can see why this is his first vinyl. There's tons of really buzzing micro-rhythms, fascinating clouds of fizzing alien synths and fresh, glitchy stumbling beats on this record without it reverting to any particular formula. The unquestionable influence of Autechre and their Northern English affiliates still affects our perceptions & expectations of modern electronica but I'd say if this was a new EU record or summat I'd be shitting bricks. If you ain't bought any electronic vinyl for a while, I seriously urge you to recommence proceedings pronto by purchasing this excellent 6 tracker!

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Yvat is a composer and producer of textured electronica, based in Bucharest, Romania. A professional sound designer for more than 10 years, Yvat currently works within the sampling industry as a producer for Ueberschall and Power FX. He has a catalogue of over 20 solo releases and has appeared on several compilations, and also collaborates with visual artists, creating soundtracks for installation and video works. His music is mature and highly developed, yet retains a fresh and experimental edge, constantly shifting in terms of its themes and expression. Releases such as Blue Cones (2006, SubliminalTapeClub) and Chroma (2006, ±G6PD) embraced electronic tendencies and IDM influences, with complex beat patterns and overlapping layers of texture. With Tear Duct (2007, Cactus Island), the artist introduced melodic hues to the former geometric sound of his music, and Gliae (2008, ±G6PD) and the Mentation series of three 3” CD releases (2008, Envizagae) added a more aggressive and glitch-inclined approach. Yvat’s work for Boltfish Recordings shows a continued refinement of his sound, and his brooding album Kunzite (2009) presented a combination of complex glitchy beat programming, darkly atmospheric textures and subtle melodic elements. Intersecting angular lines, warm yet melancholy synthesizer melodies, wheezing pads, mechanical clicks and whirrs, juddering broken rhythms and granular slivers of digital texture, were all expertly constructed and balanced to form beautifully menacing soundscapes. Unfolded is a very special six track release, presented on exquisitely designed and pressed blue 12” vinyl. Ten years since his first album and 25 released projects later, Yvat is searching for lasting integrity through his music. The core issue is now one of identity, and therefore the title Unfolded should be read literally: the six tracks unveil the artist’s individual sound and his own peculiar way of creating and understanding music. From one track to the next, he reveals what he is most passionate about: a synthesis of opposing tendencies, a lucid blending of melodic lines with fractured aggressive rhythms and angular textures. Unfolded is a mature work, built on the celebration of a decade of working in the field of sound design. With remarkable coherence, this project continues to unfold, gradually rewarding the listener with further surprises and small discoveries.

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