Max Cooper: Metaphysical EP

max-cooper-metaphysical-ep

Max Cooper is becoming more and more well known on the international scene, and so he should be. Once again he brings us a slice of deep, innovative electronic music, the likes of which are a rare find in today’s saturated market. His latest offering, the thought provokingly named ‘Metaphysical EP,’ is not one to disappoint.

Starting off with Gravity’s Rainbow, we see perhaps a less melancholic side to Max than we’ve come to expect, a bouncing chord sequence driving the track along, combined with lovely cascading ‘raindrop-esque’ synths and some customarily excellent sampling. The result is something that manages to be both thoughtful and uplifting.

Heresy is a wonderfully chaotic piece of electronica, unformulaic to the extreme, awash with intense sawing synths, a syncopated beat and some wonderful dissonant harmonies between parts which resolve themselves to powerful effect.

Solace is a deep, slow, brooding affair, even beat less for the first two minutes. Some unfathomable samples are weaved into the mix, as well as some beautiful resonating synths and a soft unassuming bassline, giving the track a floaty, dream-like feel. This is definitely one that’s easy to lose yourself listening to.

Accompanying Solace is a music video courtesy of Nick Cobby, composed of a rotating black CGI cube, shot from multiple angles. On each shot symmetrical and fractal based patterns are shown on the face of the cube moving with the beat. As the track builds, flashes of vibrant colour bleed through, images of space nebulas and other space phenomena eerily flicker in and out. The end result is a rewardingly trippy builder of a video, a fantastic accompaniment to the track, and one which I would love to see on a huge screen behind a dj booth.

Remixes of Heresy come from Spain’s Dosem & France’s Matthys. Dosem takes the original and makes it a more familiar four to the floor beat driven affair, perhaps losing some of the chaos that makes the original so distinctive, but at the same time making it more of a club friendly mix. Matthys on the other hand spins it the other way, introducing some interesting sounds and samples of his own, creating a more minimal end product than the original, whilst still maintaining some of the feelings of chaos and paranoia of the original, a clever interpretation of an already groundbreaking track.

Once again Max brings something fresh and innovative to the table, his trademark unique sampling, a refusal to be bound by the constraints of what electronic music ‘should be’ and a concerted effort to spark thought and emotion in the mind, as well as making sure your head is bopping and your feet are moving. Finally, I have to tip my hat to Max for consistently impressing with every release I get my hands on – and I can’t wait for the next one.

Max’s Metaphysical EP is out now on Traum:

The digital EP is available on beatport.

The EP 12″ is availble here.

Solace video by Nick Cobby.

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