Technical Mentality

Like many of analog synth duo Long Distance Poison's recordings, Technical Mentality contains two side-long pieces which take their time to slowly unfold and gradually reveal new elements. Unlike some of their releases, this one doesn't contain any sort of rhythmic pulse, and it largely doesn't approach anything resembling noise, although both pieces build up to some sharper tones near the end. Instead, these are sparse, haunting compositions that emerge from the starry void, seeming to cry out in loneliness and despair from within. The pieces aren't especially complicated, but they are mesmerizing, and listening to them on headphones or high-end speakers is recommended, as there's a remarkable amount of sonic depth to them. On "Sunset in a Server," a sort of innocent melody materializes, but it can't find anything to hold on to, so it just drifts about, almost like the remnants of a lost childhood. LDP's music can seem bleak and unforgiving, yet at the same time, it's not hard to find solace in its quietly devastating tones.