Nathan Fake - Drowning in a Sea of Love

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  • Folktronica always seemed an awkward and slightly derogatory tag, finding criticism more from its practitioners than anyone else, but like many such labels it was also appropriate. The press release to this, Nathan Fake's debut long player introduces 'rocktronica' to the lexicon - folktronica with added brawn? - but any difference is negligible. Fake made himself popular with his 'Dinamo' 12" for Traum - a bright, bleepy minimal monster that was all over 2005, including Superpitcher's 'Today' and Dominik Eulberg's 'Kreucht und Fleucht' mixes. A few equally impressive remixes followed, but those expecting dancefloor friendly sheen and gloss of the Cologne variety will be sorely disappointed with 'Drowning in a Sea of Love', a competent, polished but lacklustre album of archetypal folktronica, with synthetic guitar feedback. One shouldn't be too surprised to see Border Community releasing this material, even at their minimal best - which is very good indeed - they retain an aspect of home-listening warmth, and their covers, adorned with animals, daisies and sunbeams, point to an affinity with humanity rather than the machine. The problem with 'Drowning', and other music of this sort is that it too easily drifts into cleansing muzak, all too pleasant. Opener 'Stops' places pretty glockenspiel melodies beside rhythmic bursts of hiss and meandering hip-hop lite drum patterns; sluggish 'Charlie's House' combines hazy flute lines with washed out synth arpeggios; 'Bawsy' and 'Falmer' start out like rich, ominous trance buildups, but at .58 and 1.45 come to nothing. Highlight 'Superpositions' recalls early Stereolab at their endless-highway best - all sharp organ drones and motoring rock percussion, but this momentum is ditched in favour of deviations in search of needless complication. Fake is at his luminous best when locked in to repetitive cycles of simple melodic cells, rather than fumbling with these pretty, if inconsequential nostalgic ramblings. Nonetheless, 'Drowning in a Sea of Love' should find plenty of favour with fans of Boards of Canada and other producers of housebound IDM.
RA