nthng - I’d love to fly
Jurriaan Terpstra, also known as nthng, has been crafting a unique blend of trance ambient and techno. This fusion sets him apart in the music scene. His sound sits between the realms of dub techno and electronica. nthng's discography often explores themes of escapism, and his latest release, I'd Love to Fly (2024), is a culmination of this aesthetic. Everything on this release, down to the artwork itself, helps to depict the daydream nthng crafts through sound.
From the start, the track 'And no' is enveloped in thick, creamy basses, like a child falling into a river of chocolate. The electro-leaning production style perfectly balances against the wispy cotton candy pads, creating a visual of looking out the window at a bed of clouds from 35,000 ft. nthng returns to his minimalist roots with the percussion on 'I'd love to fly', which rolls on and on like the clacking of train tracks, lulling you into a graceful lullaby. 'I'd love to fly' is an uninterrupted waltz into a dream-like state as the pads soar around the drums.
Sparkles of ambience are all over 'In the city'. Moments of Balearic beauty combine with a gritty underbelly, highlighting a constant struggle between being away from the fairies and being pulled back to monotony. 'In the city' is a pure piece of electronica that invites you to float down the lazy river. With each glint of light reflecting off the water, a new percussive hit sparkles in the eye. nthng uses chords and vocals to create this vastness, like looking at the sea. There is a melancholy felt throughout nthng's work. On no Track. Is this more accurate than 'Tuned to a Dead Channel'—a breathtaking piece demonstrating Terpstra's cinematic production. The melody is haunting, and the white noise that beds the piece is a sobering reminder of the real world.
Tracklist:
And on
I'd loI'dto fly
In the city
Tuned to a dead channel
Label: 0000 (2024)
nthng - I’d love to fly