Review: PSYK, Maan ORIGIN (Non series NON022)

NON022

PSYK, Maan

‘ORIGIN’

Non Series Vinyl 12” / Digital download NON022

April 15 2016

This short, powerful and minimal release is a split between the two aliases of Madrid's Manuel Anós; Psyk and Maan. It's released on his own Non Series label, which has also recently released Tadeo's impressive Chronicles of the Future album.

Psyk opens the EP with 'Origin', which features sustained, rising synth chords and a bleepy pattern that slowly modulates. It's a minimal framework marked out by sparse but rich elements that glides frictionlessly to a sudden dead stop.

Maan's track 'Loops' reveals the subtle differences between the producer's two aliases. It slides straight in and operates at full effect from the start. It's a model of total efficiency, gradually augmented by effective Phuture-style handclaps. Compared to the two Psyk tracks it has a deeper, more minimal, bass pulse and sits between them well.

Finally, Psyk's 'Wire', a tightly-coiled track on which everything comes together from the start. It's a clean, intense, elegantly filtered track. Based around a cycling,  modulating main sequence, it gradually evolves and decays to impresssive effect, bringing to mind Robert Hood's Minimal Nation era work and closing this all-too-brief release in fine style.