All the pieces on Patherns are composed of rhythmic noises that at the right kind of party at the right time could get the crowd dancing. The four pieces on this EP are less abstract than Ivan Pavlov’s more recent work; there is less chin scratching here than on this year’s Above Air album. Unfortunately there’s less depth to Patherns, enjoyable as it is.
Raster Noton
All four of the tracks are quality stuff. All are based around simple rhythms with various noises and counter rhythms layered on top. It's deceptively simple at the surface, but there’s a lot of background detail that only reveals itself after a few listens. The first half of the CD is pleasant enough but neither of the first two tracks sticks out as being memorable.
The EP definitely peaks on “Path. #3 (Dynamo Baby, Bore me Numb)” (probably why Pavlov gave it a title and not just another number). Here, a solid rhythmic base is paired with an airy synth melody reminiscent of some of Kraftwerk’s Tour de France melodies. It flows along nicely as Pavlov chops and changes it, stopping it from becoming stagnant. It leads into “Path. #4,” which sees Pavlov manipulating some basic rhythm sequences slowly, sounding like commercial dance music with a lot more bite.
Patherns is neither his best nor his worst work but it is a worthy effort by Pavlov. It was surprising to see an EP by him so soon after the last album, especially considering it wasn’t just a bunch of outtakes from the same sessions. It could have been far more prosaic but the accessibility of the material made the EP worth listening to. Unfortunately I don't think this has the longevity to keep me coming back to it.
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