Z-Arc - Accumulative Effect
[Boltfish]

Retro may be such a vague term, but there is nothing misleading about Londoner Z-Arc’s remindful electronic sound. The work of Kris Derry, a former keyboardist in various pop/rock outfits, his “Accumulative Effect” release, on the criminally overlooked Boltfish Records, mixes warm nostalgic synths (think Jean-Michel Jarre) with ricocheting beats that snap, crackle and pop.

“Sensor Relays” may leave you half expecting a robotic voice loop declaring ‘Tour de France’ such are the similarities of this composition to the famed Kraftwerk track. But then, the serene, sweeping “Theta Sigma” and brooding “Intersticial” both point to a Vangelis influence, particularly within the exhilarating synthesizer sounds that appear to hark back to his ‘Bladerunner’ phase.

It is not all reminiscence though, there’s plenty on offer here to keep contemporary IDM aficionados happy. “Airlocked” is a cold slab of dark electronica bursting with rapid-fire beats that reminds of Khonnor’s lesser known compositions, while “Nestor 10”is notable for featuring the ethereal qualities that so highlighted the recent Near The Parenthesis release.

It’s interesting to note that Derry develops his own sequencing hardware as “Accumulative Effect” is a slickly produced record. Each sound is perfectly measured to fit into an overall organic flow, be it the anthem-sized synths of “Refracted”, the throbbing basslines contained in “40 Microns”, the pristine programming of “Rocket Science” or the clever fills that can be heard in “4001”. Within these wide-ranging eleven compositions, Z-Arc successfully blurs the line between man and machine, while paying homage to his influences and updating them with current trends.

Track Listing:

Dihedral
40 Microns
Airlocked
Rocket Science
Theta Sigma
Nestor 10
Sensor Relays
Transbeam
Refracted
4001
Intersticial