Milan, Italy-based duo TECHNOIR have featured once before on this blog, over the summer thanks to their single Saturate. The track is the opener to their new album, a moody and cinematic collection called AFTER MATH.
By Graeme Smith
With their latest album, TECHNOIR have called on a range of influences, including Gnarls Barkley, Massive Attack, Portishead, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nine Inch Nails and Ròsalia. Passing them all through their unique filter, the result is something that sounds quite unlike anything else out there.
The aforementioned Saturate starts things off in brooding fashion. AFTER MATH is very much an album exploring the darker side of modern times and Saturate perfectly captures this mood. It slowly grows, with a disconcerting depth and pleading soul. Its rich textures make it an early highlight.
A Taste of Dystopia keeps thing dark, and slows the tempo right down, giving the listener plenty of space to get lost in its alternative world. It builds nicely into an enveloping wonder. Dune/Cercami gives us an echoing guitar riff that showcases the album’s Portishead influences. The heart-crushing vocals make it another highlight.
Polluted Core introduces elements of psych as part of a driving electronic rock arrangement. All For Nothing brings with it some lo-fi hip-hop before Kernal Panic gives us a short, introspective instrumental interlude. Way Back Home gives us some glitchy techno punk and is a smooth yet unsettling highlight.
Secrets strips things back before hitting us with some heavy hip-hop beats. Cumulonembi pairs severe percussion with delicate strings before Fresh Air lightens things with a suitably airy acoustic moment. Debugger keeps things light with a soulful vignette. Noise Eater then closes the album with some offbeat experimentation. It ties what’s come before together superbly and is a final highlight.
TECHNOIR are Alexandros Finizio and Jennifer Villa. The duo recorded AFTER MATH in their home studio, with Alexandros on production. The album is out now via the band’s own imprint Kengah Records. You can give it a listen below.