Blank Matter

Iuengliss’ discography is full of solid albums that display a good deal of promise and typically deliver several good tracks and a lot of interesting ideas that don’t quite click. With Blank Matter, his new release for Plastic Sound Supply, all the pieces come together in a way they never have before, and the result is something special.

The album’s 12 tracks (each of which has a custom-created visual accompaniment, if that tickles your fancy) incorporate a range of influences both classic and modern, embracing everything from early IDM and mid-period Aphex Twin to classic new wave and synth pop, while incorporating hints of dubstep and chiptune timbres along the way. These elements are skillfully blended and synthesized into a coherent whole—this is the sound of composer-producer Tom Metz, not a series of nods to his record collection.

The album starts off dark and heavy. Complex, noisy beats skitter around each other, building and breaking in taut crescendos behind dark, gnarly synth textures. A sense of menace builds throughout the first four tracks, reaching its apex in the incredible “Malaysian Caning,” a track as impactful as the act it’s named after. The first rays of sunshine don’t appear until track five, “A Path To Resonance,” which embraces some of the warm, soaring tones that characterizes Metz’s early work before diving back into the digital dirt and darkness.

The rest of the album continues to weave back and forth between hopeful, uplifting sections and more intense, gnarly moments. The material rewards repeat listens—headphones or a great sound system encouraged—and there’s not a weak track to be found anywhere. With Blank Matter, Iuengliss has announced his breakthrough from promising upstart to major league player. 

Download Blank Matter for free from Plastic Sound Supply.