Michel Banabila - Unspeakable Visions

Album

30 Jul

In recent years, one of the best places to find new electronic music has been to check the Knekelhuis discography. The Amsterdam label has been pushing an eclectic mix of almost every genre under the sun. That label had Mark van de Maat seemingly unconcerned with silly things like "genre" or "labels" and instead found a more artistic approach to curation. Knekelhuis is a sonic wild garden allowing art to flourish. The latest artist unleashed on the Knekelhuis imprint is legendary sound artist Michel Banabila. The Dutchman returns the label showcasing his downtempo plunderphonics sound in a whirlwind of krautrock-inspired effects chains and unemotional space disco.

Michel's deep understanding and respect for other cultures shine throughout the album, and he uses percussion and instrumentation as vital tools for his appreciation. 'Vowles of Love' showcases the subtle yet cinematic effect of crafting sonic landscapes that explore a Western interpretation of shamanism and spirituality. He explores forms of worship and storytelling through a song, drawing inspiration from the East and the Sub-Saharan. A standout is 'So Far Yet So Near', which uses repetitive percussion layers to form a hypnotic backdrop. Michel uses doubled and pitched vocals expanded with reverb to create words that emanate from nature, like a majestic voice resonating through the mountains.

Michel plays with light and dark expertly, invoking such sadness in cuts like 'Darker and Darker'. Not content with the beautifully haunting piano melody, Michel constructs these auditory hallucinations, whispers that intertwine between the notes. 'Unspeakable Visions' tailgates on these ideas, only dropping the vocals for a more intense and sinister atmosphere that permits its soul with deep drumming, like heartbeats that intensify as the tension builds with treacle-like atmospheres.

Other pieces like 'Little Star' showcase an incredibly cinematic and homely essence. It's somewhere between ambient folk and a dazzling Balearic beach soundtrack as slow textures wash over you like a tide. At the same time, distant guitars make you feel like a voyeur, observing humanity from a distance. At the same time, the delicate vocals feel like they belong on the Serengeti or, at the very least, the climax of something like the Tom Hanks film Castaway.

It's not uncommon for field recordings to be present in electronic music. However, Michael plays with this idea as he finds more intimate-sounding conversations, which he couples with teamer melodies, like in 'Hometapers Tricky Universe', to evoke the feeling of endorphins flooding the brain watching old home movies. Michael broadens the focus in 'Your Words Against Mine' by streamlining the rhythmic content that creates a feeling of NPC walking through an early bustling city while you're not paying attention. Still, every so often, a snippet of reality warms its way into your psyche.

The infusion of space disco in the more upbeat parts of the album is an underrated quality of Banabila's production. While most tracks take a more conceptual approach, some robust psychedelic dance influences remain, especially on tracks such as 'Viva Voce'. Screwed-up samples blasted with effects result in only texture and inducing a fizz throughout the body. Meanwhile, 'AI Brainfire' is more approachable, with deep kicks and a familiar rhythm that demonstrates the stylised warping of conventional disco music. What's great is to see how much Michel pushed these tropes. The psychedelic vocals remain, but the vibe is a lot more epic due to the nasty guitar riffs and sense of soaring. I'd put my money and a hint of Hendrix creeping into Banabila's musical upbringing.

Unspeakable Visions is a sprawling canvas of psychedelic premonitions and memory-evoking music. Michel's Banabila steadfast commitment to infusing folk-leaning elements into his electronic music creates a mind-bending experience. It's a must-listen for those drawn to world music-inspired electronica. Unspeakable Visions delves into sonics and structure more holistically for those seeking a departure from the ordinary.

Tracklist: