More than any other genre, electronic music affords a sense of universality to its listeners. In hip hop, lyrics are everything, creating an immediate language barrier. The same goes for rock, folk, and any number of lyric-driven styles of music. Even jazz, with its emphasis on instrumentation and emotion through sound rather than speech, the genre is too messy and disorganised to be considered palatable to a general audience. But no matter where you are in the world, electronic music provokes the same reaction in every listener: to move; to dance; to bask in its atmosphere.
Delphæ personifies the universality of electronic music. The album consists of 10 distinct tracks, each produced by a different artist. The host of talents were curated by Fatale Furylax, a DJ and core member of the Parisian collective, De la… je l’espère. Rather than simply gathering a group of random musicians, every artist was picked with intention, shining a light on the underrepresented women and gender minorities of modern electronica. As a result, Delphæ is more than just a compilation; it’s a symbol of unity, a celebration of diversity, and a testament to the unwavering consistency within the underground electronic scene.
The album kicks off with “No Poison”, an enchanting ambient song from DJ Rafting which drops the listener into a sea of rippling synth passages. A dark, almost foreboding synth-line draws the listener in before waves of electronica rise in the mix, gradually adding life and light to the track. By the three-minute mark, the song has evolved into a dense spiral of overlapping sounds. High-pitched, squeaking synths contrast the deep bass of the opening synth-line before it all vanishes; the music slowly reverts to that single, droning sound.
By comparison, the following tune “There” is explosive. Produced by Ekaliff, the DJ teases the listener with a stuttering drum pattern laid on top of a breathy vocal sample. Bursts of chopped-up drums, sizzling bass, and ominous synthesiser add disorder to the atmosphere. The disjointed, asymmetrical production provokes unease in the listener, with the sudden flashes of percussion acting almost as musical jump-scares, keeping the audience on their toes.
“Birds of Paradise” adopts a similarly abrasive style, driven by drum-and-bass style percussion paired with a roaring, dominant passage of synth-bass. Unlike the songs before it, Goldie B does not add or take away many elements from the song. Rather, the producer maintains the same danceable, head-bopping loop for almost the entire runtime.
The mastermind behind Delphæ, Fatale Furylax, offers one of the strongest cuts on the album, “Diagonal Promenade”. The fantastic breakbeat percussion injects the tune with funky rhythm, paired nicely with a spacey, oceanic synth passage. Various sound effects and vocals are weaved into the mix, but it’s that simple fusion of ambient and funk that makes “Diagonal Promenade” such an irresistibly catchy track.
In contrast, Vitaline creates a pounding club banger with “Curiosity”. The DJ puts together an aggressive soundscape as harsh and ever-evolving as a classic footwork tune, with fast-paced drums, jittery vocal samples, and grumbling bass laced throughout. In one moment, the song is a chaotic splatter of synths and bass; in the next, almost silence; and in another breath, the thunder of sound resurges. For fans of electronica at its most energetic and unrelenting, “Curiosity” is an immediate standout.
Following “Curiosity”, producer Rumina invites the listener into the second half of the LP with “Dancing In Armour”, an equally harsh track. A pounding drum loop kicks off the tune, quickly enveloped in layers screeching synths and hypnotic, monotonous samples. By the end, the song has evolved into an amalgamation of clashing elements, with Rumina embracing electronica in its most hectic form.
Vanda Forte’s “Makbout Sarcey” takes on a similar structure, driven by a rapid pulse of industrial drums. Otherworldly synths add to the alien atmosphere of the track, quickly contrasted by a wash of woodwind which rises above the never-ending clamour of percussion. “Idle Thoughts” by producer Qant covers the same style, dominated by a persistent roar of hissing hi-hats and wobbly synths. The track is anything but idle, annihilating the listener’s ears with an unending barrage of noise.
Things get even more explosive on “Silencios Sagrados”, the nightmarish contribution from DJ Machka who uses the synthesiser like a saxophone, playing a long and dramatic solo over a brutal foundation of nonstop drum-work. After its ear-shattering climax, the song fades into peaceful silence, smoothly transitioning into the ambient finale of Delphæ.
The album is bookended by a pair of immersive ambient tunes. Whereas “No Poison” became brighter as the song went on, peeling away the darkness of its intro to embrace a more upbeat sound, “Nyx” goes in the opposite direction. Produced by Dalida Carnage, the closer is a dark reflection of the opener, spiralling downwards into a truly terrifying piece of ambient music. The percussion is faint and echoey, evoking the dark emptiness of a cavern as roaring synths fade in like distorted screams. In its final moments, “Nyx” fades into harrowing silence, ending the album on its darkest note.
Overall, Delphæ is a masterful compilation, showcasing the versatility and consistency within the underground electronic scene. From the desolate ambience of “Nyx” to the bombardment of harsh sounds on “Dancing In Armour”, no two songs are remotely alike, each reflecting distinct moods, concepts, and sounds. Whether you are an outsider to electronica or an avid fan, Delphæ is an essential listening experience in 2024. Directed by Fatale Furylax, the album displays some of the sharpest talents in the genre today, enveloping the listener in a dynamic realm of electronica for 10 phenomenal tracks.
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