Vril - Saturn Is A Supercomputer
Vril usually captures the poetic beauty of cataclysmic landscapes through dynamic blenders, soulful dub chords, and earth-rumbling drums. Vril has consistently shown himself to be a master at work when combining these two genres, especially in his much-praised Anima Mundi from 2018. This time, the German delves deeper into themes of futurism, isolation, and cosmic bliss, employing similarly mystical dub elements but moving slightly away from a classically German techno sound. Finding joy in lowering his overall intensity, Vril favours a more dynamic and wistful sound palette on Saturn In A Supercomputer (2024). What sticks around is the gravitas as he replaces the more dance-focused aspects of his music with the most cinematic electronica to date.
Vril punctuates his albums with these striking blends of ambience, demonstrating an understanding of album flow. Each musical nugget is far from the genre's original meaning, demanding attention. Take, for example, the opening track, an epic swelling supernova of undulating synthesisers and flowing space dust. Subdued vocalisations impart a feeling of a higher power on 'The Secret Teaching Of All Times'. Vril looks to physics and the universe as that power in this case. He further cements his proficiency as one of the best ambient producers outside the Northern Electronics crew with 'That Sign Of Weakness', one of the most captivating beatless tracks I've heard this year. The combination of wobbling sub and endless reverberations have me in a stranglehold. His synthesises burst from seemingly nowhere and cascade back into darkness so delicately. As each note comes and subsequently dissipates, there is a real sense of anticipation for the following note, the next burst of colour and brightness that'll wash over the pallet. 'That Sign Of Weakness' is a prime example of what would be closer defined by Christian Eede (2023) as foreground ambient, Having "a certain kind of eccentricity that forces you to sit up and take notice." - 3XL Puts Out Ambient For the Foreground
As stated before, there have always been two sides to Vril: the ambience and the dance floor. It's the combination of these elements that made him a fan favourite. Much like the opener, 'Batumi Stranding' is an audio feast for ambient music fans while sneaking in some influences from Germany's minimal techno scene, only taking a less hard-line approach to drum programming. The syncopated kick drums contrast nicely with the organic, softer wooden percussion that drives the rhythm. The organic textures become more symbolic as the track progresses due to the calculated use of noise and horn-like synthesisers. 'Batumi Stranding' sounds like it is taking place in a rainforest, comparing nature terrestrially and in the outer reaches of space. As Vril continues his experiments, stretching the definition of his techno, a track like 'Final Earthbound' showcases a willingness to build anticipation with an intro that stretches on for two minutes. Vril uses this intro to indulge in a sample that further cements the album's themes. Talk of evolution and what it is to be human takes up the entire two minutes, inviting you to pause and ponder before embarking on the subdued yet no less impactful techno trip.
Taking things back to the dance floor, 'Truth Out Of The Cave' reminds fans that Vril made his start with heavy grooves and rich stabs. Sticking mainly to basics, Vril returns to a 4x4 kick drum and a few percussive motifs that get burned into the brain. Vril, time and time again, executes catchy rolling basslines with his signature low growly. Of course, he injects just enough atmosphere and a little flourish of digitisation to bring the whole track together, giving flashes of the more purposeful sound of the artist's early work. It quickly became a standout as a hard-hitting dance track.
The title track, 'Saturn Is A Supercomputer', is a complete left turn from what most would associate with Vril's musical philosophy. It wastes no time jettisoning into its melodic hooks, which take more cues from the Underground Resistance-affiliated artists rather than Ostgut Ton. This Electro heater finds its feet with a much more lyrical production style, with soulful melodies swimming above jagged bass in an investigation of that classic Detroit sound. 'Saturn Is A Supercomputer' is uncharacteristically dramatic for a Vril production, incorporating fast pacing and a more 80s-inspired ambience. The result is a much more cinematic track full of passion and apprehension, helped in part by the choice of audio effects, which help cement all the elements into a broader Sonic landscape. Unfortunately, this effect imparts a flabbiness when used liberally on the mid base as it loses its cutting and angular feel.
Vril continues to show a broad musical identity with his rework of 'Sohn (SP12 Rework)'. The SP12 Rework does away with most of the original character of 'Sohn' (2023). Although this sounds harsh, it is a fantastic demonstration of Vril's flexibility as a producer. The original was slow and methodical, incorporating ambience and glacial progressions. This time around, It's a hybrid between trip hop and half-time rave, which makes it hard to choose a favourite under any pressure. 'Sohn (SP12 Rework)' comes out of the gate sounding like an old Beastie Boys track full of attitude and rebellion, just waiting to scream some punk-influenced lyrics into your ear. But as the track progresses, more dubby and progressive elements start to take hold, making it more psychedelic. Vril's gritty rolling sub and luscious pads that flutter between glassy bowl-like sounds and an angelic choir that feels so wide and all-encompassing that you're almost swallowed up make this one of the standouts on the album.
Vril is always eager to get into braindance. He has flexed his muscles on countless tracks with complex, non-repeating rhythms and melodies. 'Habit Forming' shows his nuanced understanding of the weird and wonderful world of glitches. Vril and ZDBT experiment with a relatively sparse set of parameters. Seemingly armed with no more than a heavy baseline, a few drum samples, a lead line, and maybe a Pad or two, they construct mind-bending peace that seemingly warps and reconstructs itself. The star of the show is the lead synthesiser that flutters and shifts constantly with a barrage of audio effects, converting that simple glassy tone into a cacophony of bright solar energy. 'Zivten Im Lab' joins the party with a more industrial edge to the production. Unfortunately, it isn't as polished as 'Habit Forming'. What stands out, though, is the visibility to take on new textures with apparent ease. Heavy industrial drums stick out as something new to Vril's sound palette.
Vril is always eager to get into braindance. He has flexed his muscles on countless tracks with complex, non-repeating rhythms and melodies. 'Habit Forming' shows his nuanced understanding of the weird and wonderful world of glitches. Vril and ZDBT experiment with a relatively sparse set of parameters. Seemingly armed with no more than a heavy bassline, a few drum samples, and a lead, they construct mind-bending peace that seemingly warps and reconstructs itself. Synthesisers flutter and shift constantly with a barrage of audio effects, converting that simple glassy tone into a cacophony of bright solar energy. 'Zivten Im Lab' joins the party with a more industrial edge to the production. Unfortunately, it isn't as polished as 'Habit Forming'. What stands out, though, is the visibility to take on new textures with apparent ease. Heavy industrial drums stick out as something new to Vril's sound palette.
Where 'Zivten Im Lab' falls slightly short, the beauty of 'Missin' is that it throws caution to the wind, delivering a total reinvention of Vril's sound. Due to the nature of IDM, it could be seen as derivative in some circles, with the classic "it's a bit too simple" being banded around as some vague criticism, but what Vril does considerably better than some of the more legacy names in IDM is he mixes complex rhythms with musicality. Rather than it just being an assault of abrasive kicks, percussion, and a few dotted synthesises 'Missin' fits with the sonic world Vril is exploring through his use of heavily augmented beats layered with a much more subdued and formless layer on top. The extended groans and wobbling drones sound like a feeble AI is slowly losing itself after decades of operation. The track gives more credence to storytelling rather than pure flexion of production muscles. There are flashes of the old 2018 Vril, especially in tracks like 'Pneuma', which uses drones and flickering mechanical noise that harkins back to the artist's first forays into ambience. Unfortunately, the coupling of epic analogue cinematics and dingy dungeon-dwelling bass notes only acts as an interlude on this record rather than a feature throughout the record. Still, it's easy to see why Vril has distanced himself from this aesthetic to broaden his musical scope.
Tracklist:
The Secret Teaching Of All Times
Batumi Stranding
Saturn Is A Supercomputer
Sohn (SP12 Rework)
Their Sign Of Weakness
Habit Forming (Feat. ZDBT)
Final Earthbound
Truth Out The Cave
Zivten Im LabPneuma
Missin
Ataraxia
Label: Omnidisc (2024)
Vril - Saturn Is A Supercomputer
