The Host- The Host

Maybe it's just me, but lately I have been feeling that we are going through an electronic music revival. Like we are reliving the glory days of IDM from the mid 90's. One label that was important then and is quickly becoming my favorite label now is Planet Mu. Label owner Mike Paradinas aka Mu-Ziq has massive history in the game (even doing an album with the legendary Aphex Twin in '96). Personally,  I never thought Paradinas' output was THAT good (there are some exceptions), but let me tell you, he knows how to choose good artists.

One of his signees, Barry Lynn aka Boxcutter has been making music for the label for some time. I'm a fan, but i wouldn't say I am blown away by the Boxcutter stuff. It always struck me as a little plastic-y and synthetic. That being said,  Lynn has introduced a new project under the name The Host that puts the soul into the machine.

The Host's debut is dynamic enough to work as a score for a Blade Runner remake. Manic drum patterns abound as if Lynn set his Sequential Circuits Drum machine on fast forward. The heavy use of gated reverb, gorgeous ethereal synth sweeps and flanged guitar conjures 80's electronic act Tangerine Dream and begs the question "what would it sound like if Tangerine Dream tried to make Juke music?" There are songs on this collection that are real stunners. When "Second Life" first drops, I stopped mid jog and literally said "wow" when it first came out of my earbuds. The better part of the album sounds like this. Kinda like another Mu Records release, Bang And Works (peep that too), but on a lot more psychedelic drugs.


Now that is the majority of the record. There is a second side to this one though in which Lynn lets his inner Pink Floyd out.  These simpler ambient moments sound fit for a nature walk in Hawaii or a chill out room on mushrooms. If the name Future Sound of London means anything to you, you may get the idea. Now i know that moments like this are staples in purist electronic music but I would rather rock out to the juke style joints than practice my yoga poses to the more "transcendental" tunes. They are relaxing though and walking though a forest preserve with this on did accent the beauty if even for a brief moment.

To be honest, I'm not sure if this album will have any staying power (how will this sound years from now) but you know what...I'm digging this right now. It's pretty solid.

The Host- The Host gets $7.00 out of $10. Not necessarily the absolute priority album to buy, but there are some tracks on here that shouldn't be missed.