Widescreen electro, bracing techno, and introspective downtempo, all unified by a strong melodic sense and emotional depth.

10 MP3 Songs
ELECTRONIC: Techno, ELECTRONIC: Dance



Details:
Modulex (D.R. Elsie) grew up in Lansing, Michigan, roughly 90 miles from Detroit. As with so many young listeners near that epicenter of techno, he was exposed to the first wave of artists who were creating a new sound the late eighties. After years of building a home studio and experimenting with different electronic forms, Mr. Elsie made a breakthrough in 2003, providing a few compositions to serve as the unofficial score of a dramatic production in Chicago. He then concentrated on finishing several tracks already under development, which would become the basis of his debut full-length recording.

A number of standout tracks make Trajectory Sketches a solid, memorable debut. Sickness: Recovery is a modern electro gem, with a loving wink to lo-fi digital synths. The restless melodic lines evoke the Kraftwerk classic Trans Europe Express, and a cascade of hihats worthy of Jeff Mills descends upon the climax. The aptly titled Velodrome is a speed ride bristling with an insistent, almost clavinet-like riff. More traditional songwriting skills are on display in the midtempo Transit Cop. The clipped, stuttering drums and martial bassline of VC6377 offset a warm cocoon of electronic strings, setting precision against melancholy. Painted by Radar, perhaps the best track, unfolds across a wide screen, creating the sort of cinematic electro found on Detroit's Underground Resistance (UR) label.