Written by JK Caray
Six years after their last album ‘Culture Cow’ in 2020, a few sets at international festivals, and appearances on a lot of compilation albums, Tarsius makes a long-awaited comeback with the release of their new EP ‘Vikslotov.’ In letting the tracks evolve and marinate, the Manila-based duo has surprisingly come out with a release reminding us that one of the electronic scene’s most acclaimed acts is still here to innovate.
As the opening track, “Autophagy” doesn’t waste time introducing the plane of existence it belongs to. Arguably the EP’s standout track, “Autophagy” exists in different phases of a cerebral journey, guided by Jay Gapasin’s precise percussion work. In general, drum loops are used extensively throughout the EP, with the track “Oui” ditching traditional acoustic drums for more compact drum machine beats that sync with the song’s alienating leads and occasional vocal chops. Speaking of, “IKR”s more engaging use of chopped vocals does the heavy lifting in giving the track its own identity, leaning more on its playful, almost sassy sonic profile. Lastly, “Vagabond” rounds off the EP with a satisfying aural shift towards Melodic House beats after the tense, rhythmic push-and-pull present in “Spectrum”.
At a distance, ‘Vikslotov’ looks like a release that came from the mix of different styles Tarsius has dabbled in after a long period of inactivity. With the risk of seeming like an “All must go” kind of EP, ‘Vikslotov’ may not be the duo’s most cohesive collection, but it’s the breathing, ever-present rhythm living inside these tracks that holds the release together. Building on that groove, ‘Vikslotov’ shows us the different forms Tarsius is capable of taking shape in. Though it may cause whiplash from the differences between the tracks’ personalities, it is a welcome change since Tarsius knows how to make each song interesting. Besides, when stripped down to its most basic form, isn’t electronic music simply about making insane drum beats and doing tons of experimentation?
Support the art & the artist:
Leave a Reply