Northern [Redux] in Bloomington, MN

In 2002
Taylor Deupree
said goodbye to glitchy pastures and headed for more organic territory with the definitive
Stil
, the dreamy soundscapes of 2004's
January
and several collaborations; most notably with labelmates
Christopher Willits
and
Kenneth Kirschner
, as well as Japanese ensemble
Eisi
for an album length reconstruction project. So it's no surprise that every experiment that he's attempted throughout the past four years has led to
Northern
, a beautiful six song treatise inspired by the quiet countryside
Deupree
has chosen to reside in (he recently moved from Brooklyn to more rural settings). This transition finds
entirely abandoning the vocabulary of crisp, ear jarring highs and sub sonic bass to more textured, organic instrumentation. Throughout
, he quietly weaves a tapestry of atmospheres and textures through structured improvisation that recall the emotion and stillness of
. and
without becoming predictable and tiresome. The level of discipline while layering the sounds upon one another (especially during the album's closer
"November"
), all the while maintaining a reverence for silence that is similar to opening movement of the
Joe Zawinul
/
Miles Davis
classic
"In A Silent Way."
The serenity and beauty of this album has few rivals in the
electronic
music world and by the time the final notes rain down, finding a record that can stand up against
is no easy task to undertake. Quite easily one of the best albums,
or otherwise, of 2006. ~ Rob Theakston