Ital Tek - Timeproof

Was mentioned in the footer of the last p-mu email too. Hopeful. 

Here we go!

Yasss.

The title of Ital Tek's seventh album "Timeproof" reflects what Alan Myson has observed and learned whilst making the album. Firstly, how distorted the perception of time is in the creative headspace - being in the studio creates a timeless environment, one's mind starts wandering and the perception of time is altered. Secondly, the bizarre effect of the last few years of lockdown have somehow infected the title, temporarily contracting our collective notion of time. And thirdly, Alan has learnt how spending time away from the studio can be as effective as being there, giving one space to process. Appreciating the power of being out in nature, putting other things into perspective, refreshing one's ability to approach work with both patience and creativity.

Overall "Timeproof" feels more introspective than Alan's last album "Outland". Perhaps because of the time in which it was created or this new relationship to the creative process. The sounds and textures of the record hint at brutality and menace whilst also pulsing and evolving softly with a more refined interior life. It's expansive and elegant, neatly balanced between light and dark, more mossy and dreamy than the extremes of "Outland".

When making the album, Alan spent about a year or so working quickly and intuitively, churning out ideas, sketches and sound experiments without any attempt to finish or perfect anything. "I let it settle until I was ready to return to this body of raw material with fresh ears some months later, sometimes barely remembering what or how I’d done much of it." Over the course of another year he dived into the details, rendering all of this rough material and sound into something with form. Alan also visited older material and ideas, trying out, reworking and sampling, building it into this new body. The finished album feels open, with a gentle intuition that feels as if it's guiding you through.

Preview track is very "Lorn" 

But that's ok!

Bought. Liking Phantom Pain!

I've liked the the art for the last two albums, but I haven't been keen on the typefaces used.

The one for this is much better.

Out now.

I listened to it this morning. Usual brilliance!!

https://thequietus.com/articles/32867-ital-tek-timeproof-review

This is well deserved.

In a way, this album impresses me. But at the same time, it's not really my cup of tea. Not sure why. But listening to the songs, it becomes its own satire pretty quick. Every track is lots of reverb and lots of distortion. Some slow beats entering half way. Lots of atmosphere. Lots of drama. Over the top drama. To the point of being as over the top as a Transformers movie.

It sounds like a beautiful soundtrack to a ridiculously boring movie.

Perhaps it needs more listens, but currently, I'd skip these tracks like I'd skip a transformers movie.

  On 4/29/2023 at 8:46 PM, Satans Little Helper said:

In a way, this album impresses me. But at the same time, it's not really my cup of tea. Not sure why. But listening to the songs, it becomes its own satire pretty quick. Every track is lots of reverb and lots of distortion. Some slow beats entering half way. Lots of atmosphere. Lots of drama. Over the top drama. To the point of being as over the top as a Transformers movie.

It sounds like a beautiful soundtrack to a ridiculously boring movie.

Perhaps it needs more listens, but currently, I'd skip these tracks like I'd skip a transformers movie.

I hear you. I really love this album and he really should think about going into film scoring, but I really think it's time to change direction a little bit maybe. I need that feeling I had when I first heard Hollowed. It was such a game changer for him. Then Bodied, Outland and now Timeproof all very similar. Maybe time for something different?

  On 4/29/2023 at 8:46 PM, Satans Little Helper said:

In a way, this album impresses me. But at the same time, it's not really my cup of tea. Not sure why. But listening to the songs, it becomes its own satire pretty quick. Every track is lots of reverb and lots of distortion. Some slow beats entering half way. Lots of atmosphere. Lots of drama. Over the top drama. To the point of being as over the top as a Transformers movie.

It sounds like a beautiful soundtrack to a ridiculously boring movie.

Perhaps it needs more listens, but currently, I'd skip these tracks like I'd skip a transformers movie.

this is like saying Syro is boring cos it's all wacky beats and acid bloops and processed vocal samples. reductive and insulting.

  On 4/30/2023 at 11:53 AM, usagi said:

this is like saying Syro is boring cos it's all wacky beats and acid bloops and processed vocal samples. reductive and insulting.

respectfully disagree. the comparison makes no sense 

how doesn't it make sense? you're boiling the entire album down to just a set of bullet points instead of seeing the whole which is bigger than the sum of its parts.

Really don't wanna be a negative nelly but I agree with Satans Little Helper here. I could never get into Ital Tek despite my numerous efforts over the years. It always feels like a hugely impressive surface covering a heart of nothing.

  Quote

If you’re new to Ital Tek (or just warming up to him, as one of my friends recently mentioned), perhaps it’s worth a bit of a quick revisit. Brighton-based Alan Myson appeared on the scene back in 2007, getting immediately noticed by Planet Mu for his bass-heavy, dare I say “dubstep” influenced, electronic music. I managed to catch and cover his full-length debut, cYCLiCAL [when Myson still capitalized his moniker as iTAL tEK], and pointed out that even as the genre itself was already winding down and becoming a bit tired with its typical re-used formula, there were a few gems that would outlast the hype and survive the history for another rotation.  And so I wrote, “Myson stands among the few artists that integrate and employ the genre’s characteristics with an intelligent design, bringing dubstep closer to the electronica for listeners and gaining a permanent presence on my shelves of classic albums.” This was now 15 years ago, folks! Fifteen glorious years. And although I someone slid off the bandwagon of dance-oriented bass-driven music [as did Myson as well], I’ve still followed along and covered, I think, nearly each of his Planet Mu albums. In 2016, Myson put out Hollowed, which immediately jumped to the top of my playlists. This record is full of cinematic passageways, deep explorations, and unexpected turns, and while syncopated beats are still sprinkled throughout, this is indeed a full-on listening experience, one that withstands the test as time [and it is playing right now, as I write these words]. Every few years, Myson would remind me of his outstanding craft, and once again, Bodied (2018) and Outland (2020) have dominated my end-of-year lists. Around the same time, I caught up with Alan and featured his workspace by publishing In the studio with Ital Tek. Right. So that’s a good overview of this musician’s career. Let’s finally jump on to Timeproof.

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Headphone Commute says things.

After 3 weeks of waiting, I finally got the vinyl and cd today!!!

Alan told me he's working on tons of new music, so hopefully more to come soon!

i listened to it!

  On 5/28/2023 at 2:33 PM, dr lopez said:

i listened to it!

And what do you think to it?

it went into my ears