Parallel Processes

About what you'd expect from a biochem major, Parallel Processes proves one of the densest, most elaborately imagined works of the listening-techno brigade. Borrowing the restless air of drum'n'bass programming, but substituting his own labyrinthine effects processors instead, Mandell occasionally bests the heavily respected Autechre at weaving the most complex balance of rhythm and noise ever heard in the techno realm. As such, it's a bit of a surprise that tracks like "Gamtev" and "Untitled 44" have melodies at all, but here too Mandell does it extremely well. One of the brightest debuts in the advent of late-'90s complextronics.