Album mastered by Conor Dalton at Glowcast Audio, Glasgow, Scotland.
Decimal – Lost In A Dark Place [SomaCD085] 1. Temple March
2. Forgotten Requiem
3. Simulation
4. A Physical Sense Of Time
5. Tightly Wound
6. Soulchamber
7. Melody Attack
8. Ghost
9. Vasatis Black Mask
10. The Lesson Of HopeAfter releasing several EPs on the label so far, including the mammoth Babylon track at the tail end of 2008, Soma welcomes Decimal’s debut album, Lost In A Dark Place to the imprint. In amongst constructing his long player he has been beavering away with side projects too, releasing as Aberrant on Radioslave’s Rek’d, plus solo EPs on Material Series, Mihalis Safras’ label and Dustin Zahn’s Enemy Records. These previous releases have brought his music to the attention of some of the world’s most influential and respected DJs, listeners, and to the ears of thousands of clubbers and fans. Having had a brief break from solo work in late 2009 and early 2010, Decimal concentrated on his album, refining his style and taking influence from past productions and experiences to create a modern definition of Detroit and Chicago sounds.
Years of experience as a live performance artist has given him an edge that brims with an unrestrained energy that drives beyond the normal club environment. The relentless forward energy, surprising directions, and powerful vibes of the Decimal sound have led him to tour across the US and abroad where he has stamped his mark on the global electronic scene.
Decimal starts his album with a suitable mystery. Temple March has an inquisitive melody that treads throughout the track while restrained percussive changes play around a bumping groove that welcomes us to Lost In A Dark Place. The first single taken from the album and the track that Slam have been caning, Forgotten Requiem, is a brute. Piano riffs rise through jacking percussion and are joined by intense strings culminating in a peak time weapon of choice. Simulation nudges the tempo down, but not the tension. There is a definite old-skool feel to this track through instrumentation choice and chord progression. From the intro a picture of the Eastern world is painted through A Physical Sense of Time, although once a broken beat provide the rhythm to the track, it recoils into a discordant excursion. Unnerving in presence and challenging to the ear A Physical Sense of Time confirms the darker edge of Decimal.
Tightly Wound brings a real dancefloor type trippyness to the album, shuffling percussion ducks and dives in and around pitching bass and hovering synths. Intensity grows leading up to the break and grabs attention with a brilliant reintroduction of infectious rhythm. Following is Soulchamber, a grooving tech-house grinder. Emerging from depths of this track comes an insistent, yet optimistic melody, that carries the listener up and away. Melody Attack is possibly the ‘biggest’ track on the album and provides a noteworthy crowd pleaser. Weighty sub-bass sits below a brooding synthline hinted with portamento. Ghost is quite simply all about the bass. Twisted and rumbling low-end drives through the track, while a spliced and pitched vocal combine perfectly with a warm chord. A squelching synth filters up and down urging the most of the warped bass. Slow and sultry is flavour of the day on Vasatis Black Mask. Tickling percussion lies amongst sporadic and melancholy chords, and a steady stabbing rhythm creates a low slung groove. Closing the album is the delightfully crafted The Lesson Of Hope. Playing to the early morning sounds that one could depart dreams to, this piece oozes optimism and hope, and shows the flip side of Decimal’s dime. It is both the last piece of music to hear before slumber and the first to listen to on a bright, new dawn.