Steve Moore has bought us Italo disco soundtracks as Gianni Rossi, edits as Lovelock on Mindless Boogie, miscellaneous synth epics as half of Zombi and more Italo as half of Miracle. He's also in a rock band. Via Discogs, I count 24 albums Moore's been involved with, plus a solo LP shortly to be released as Lovelock. Prolific, diverse and slightly mysterious, he's America's answer to Legowelt. Under his own name, it seems as if more consideration is paid to contemporary dance floors. As always, however, it's with the aid of analogue synths. Not 303s, 808s or 909s, but the spooky, early vintage kind that are played rather than sequenced.
The eponymous track opens with a minute or so of such synth. It has a dystopian, Bladerunner-esque quality, slowly sucking away whatever cheer you might have had. Mood established, they quickly retreat, allowing a plodding rhythm to take hold. Consisting only of a kick, muted clap and tipsy metronomic synth, this replacement has a Conforce-like feel; simple but impeccably crafted. Moore doesn't seem keen on fancy tricks: The biggest moment in "Panther Moderns" comes when the two lines abruptly re-combine to trudge defeatedly to the finish.
Though composed of relatively bright sounds, "Beyond Tyken's Rift" also carries some feeling of hopelessness; the soundtrack to a crew's valiant self-sacrifice in deep space. Again, this mood is achieved using fairly simple techniques: an abrasive low-end generating the tension, and several trance-inspired arps orbiting rapidly above. What makes it special, however, is how perfectly everything crescendos together. Orchestrated by an uprising cosmic pad, the track's zenith is incredibly natural, inescapably drawing you in, like a looming black hole. "Ancient Shorelines" is even more dramatic, with two arps sprinting frantically alongside one another for eight straight minutes. This in itself in no great feat, but Moore's small supporting cast—irregular kicks, more cosmic pads—add emphasis in all the right places.
Buy Steve Moore - Panther Moderns EP at
Tracklist: Steve Moore - Panther Moderns EP
 A Panther Moderns
B1 Beyond Tyken's Rift
B2 Ancient Shorelines
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