Max Ravitz, aka Patricia, produces techno with a spelunker's wide-eyed exploratory flair. "As an instrument, the synthesizer is designed to theoretically reproduce any imaginable structure of sound," remarks Ravitz. "I've always been much more interested in sound design than being able to 'play well,' and the synthesizer allows for a slow and thoughtful approach towards crafting sound." He allows his machines to speak for themselves: "I occupy the role of a composer or conductor, in a sense, determining how the music sounds while employing my various instruments as the players."
Several Shades Of The Same Color is Patricia's first album for Spectral Sound — produced in produced in conjunction with his own label Active Cultures.
Each of Shades' three LPs features suites of tracks that, considered alone, comprise their own distinct, unique worlds. Disc One opens with "I Know The Face, But Not The Name," an unabashedly plaintive trip through classic electro rhythms; flip it over for "The Words Are Only Sounds," a haunting affair for synthesizer and voice. Disc Two's "The Electric Eye is Upon Me" swirls endlessly, while "Shiba Inu Dub" is cut for the floor and coy as its namesake. Disc Three's jackin' "Feel Your Body" will cause you to do just that; "German Friendship" sounds like D.A.F. on dissociatives.
Taken altogether, Several Shades Of The Same Color is kaleidoscopic, a multi-faceted techno trip. Listen in full, or listen in part. And if you consider only one of these intermittent listening notes, make it this one: Don't think; just hear.
Out July 14th on Spectral Sound.
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