Sunday, September 22, 2019

EVAPORATOR: HAQ'S TUNES FOR THE ARTIFICIAL


Evaporator is a spankin' new, Bearsuit Records' release. It's by Haq, a band that includes the Tokyo duo, N-qia (Nozomi and Takma) and Edinburgh's Harold Nomo. The trio makes some mighty fine music in the strange yet idyllic "Twin Peaks" vein.


The tonality is electronic, but imbued with a hymn-like fertility (thanks to Nozomi's angelic vocals). On the surface, Haq's samples are rendered for breezy wonderment. On closer inspection, they smother the old to propel the new, even if it's aimed at the artificial, creating a sugary fuel for mannequins and androids that wish to dream, even if they lack the know-how.


The title track is carnival and/or circus-like, its notes cranked for a dancing monkey, uncoordinated from the outset, but passing the hat to earn a buck nonetheless. It's robotic, spontaneous and light: a well oiled cog in a complicated machine. 

"Cannula Itch" is the begging scratch that follows: a chiming necessity that allows one to see the world through a bright, pink lens. It doesn't matter if the buildings have toppled. The urge to live, enjoy and wander sprinkles the demolished spread, switching day for night and night for day: whatever works to make things right. 


"Dustboy Horrorshow" umbrellas the prior entries with a ravenous reminder that the past cannot be erased, only displayed. It, in turn, warms one up for some spiraling "Antics in a Maze" and nifty "Norvell", which beat one down for exasperated rest, but not for long. Haq commands further exploration, which comes through a number of remixes and neo-matches to press one's evaporation. 


Evaporator is a prolific program sparked by surrogate senses: an alternate plan to see through and ultimately understand, whether one was spawned from flesh and blood or plastic and steel.  

Suckle Haq's subliminal vapor at
https://bearsuitrecords.bandcamp.com/album/evaporator.

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