- When people talk about "losing themselves" in a certain type of dance record, they're typically describing a mild hypnosis. As sounds methodically mix together in repeating patterns, they command your mind's attention and your body's movement. The End Of The Edge is a dense and imaginative EP that could be described as one of those records, but it asks more of its audience than just submission. Yoshinori Hayashi's debut is a complex patchwork of studio gear, live instruments, dusty jazz records and smartly cut library sounds, whose textures are soft and inviting. But its arrangements are constantly ruffled, squeezed, brushed and pinched—which is to say, nothing stays still for long.
With restless and fluid motion, The End Of The Edge wanders over untrodden paths into some incredible places. "Madam Moo" is rich with the sound of nature; deep bass pads and unsteady percussion try to shape a song of panoramic scope. Its sax swells with feeling, though it's hard to say what kind. Sometimes it sounds plaintive; other times it's yearning, even hopeful. "Madam Moo" shares the A-side with "Geckos," a drowsy tune that pulls you into a bluesy lull of detuned keys, the kind you imagine hearing in an old bar at closing time.
The End Of The Edge doesn't merely demand attention, but effort as well. "A Castle" lives up to its mysterious title, bathing grainy strings in thick waves of choral voices and creeping bass. The kick is doughy and ungainly—it works more like a buoy than a vessel, keeping things afloat rather than gliding the listener from A to B. In relative terms, "Carcass Of Tags" is the most DJ-friendly track. Its finger-drummed percussion spreads widely over zig-zagging synths and cut-and-paste jazz to make The End Of The Edge's most solid shape. But, as you begin to sink in, it changes again. When new sounds introduce themselves, they pose a question: are you lost, or have you found something?
TracklistA1 Geckos
A2 Madam Moo
B1 A Castle
B2 Carcass Of Tags