Aril Brikha - "Ex Machina"

Aril Brikha - Leaving Me (Peacefrog 2007)

Aril Brikha - Ex Machina / Peacefrog

There's a certain sound that instantly reminds me of European bullet trains and modern fashionistas hitting the clubs. Interestingly, this sound is not all that far removed from the recent resurgence in 80s Ital-disco and minimalist synth-based techno. Iranian-born Swedish producer Aril Brikha manages to hit the head of a nail that lies somewhere in between these two groups, and the latest of his efforts, Ex Machina, is the product.

Brikha's smooth, Detroit-esque sounds come from early listening to electronic and electronic-influenced music such as Jean Michel Jarre and Depeche Mode. Though he initially did not receive much attention in Sweden, Derrick May's Fragile Records picked up on it and in 1998 they released Brikha's first official release, The Art of Vengeance. This EP (plus a couple of one-off appearances) and the critical hit "Groove La Chord" (which Brikha is still trying to live down) led to a consistent stream of output and an association with another one of May's imprints - motherlabel Transmat - that's been on form since 2000's May-produced Deeparture in Time. In a crowded genre, it's tough to pick Brikha out.

That won't stop him from trying again here on Ex Machina. As Beatport's album of the week last week, Brikhan has certainly demonstrated that even the most flavorful connoisseur's palate can get excited over the classic sounds of futuristic space, or maybe it was early 90s ambiance, or maybe it was old skool Detroit stylings, or it must've been an amalgam of the three. Point is, this here's good stuff.

The tone of Ex Machina is set on the opener, "Last One." Fading in on a haze of synths that would play on "Beyond 2000," the chirping melody is eased in and, as the haze fades in and out, Brikhan introduces the stittering beat. After a minute and a half, we're off. It doesn't take long to burn up on the single "Room 337" either, which has the vague pings of trance.

Ah, there it is. That's what's made me so uneasy about this album: It could pass for trance if you weren't paying attention. As much as I love electro and I like giving nods to the folks who are taking it and dragging it through the mud of history to produce something new and wonderful and different, there's a grudge I'll never get over when it comes to trance. In fact, Aril Brikha is about as close to trance as you'll probably ever hear for this website. We love music, and we love krautrock, and we love drone... But trance is a dirty word 'round these parts. It's tough to find something redeeming in it, but if anyone has an argument for actually giving it more than a roll of the eyes and a flip of the bird, it's Brikha.

He makes it seem convincing, like there's something to trance that wasn't there before. It's probably just his minimalist techno touches that have tricked me, but so be it. While Brikhan might've played Fabric and earned the plaudits of the Motor City's most electro-minded madmen, his head is still in a cool, calm place. The reflection is in this album.