The New Beat MakerTake a Trip into another Reality with this Soulful, Electronic Gem
Time Travelling Toaster, the producer named after an episode of The Simpsons and possibly sprouted from “some magical fungi”, serves up an album full of addictive, blissful Electronica.
‘Color Spacesound Turbulence’ is the offering of an artist who, in his own words, creates “plush soundscapes, ethereal imagery, booming hip hop undertones…taking the soul on an otherworldly travel.”
‘Our Transcending’ is a moody, downbeat introduction built around a filtered sample. The track doesn’t ‘drop’ as such: there are no big drums to bob your head to and the sample is never revealed in full frequency. Instead, laser gun style synth blasts and sci-fi effects ping pong across the stereo field. The sense of tension created in this first track is then cleverly relieved on ‘WYD?’, an up-tempo number built on a danceable drum loop and hypnotic, mellow chords.
At roughly a minute long, ‘Ms. Miyoko’ teases the listener with its sounds of an aquatic paradise filled with bubbling streams and waterfalls. With its R2D2 sounding bleeps and dolphin style squeaks, ‘Samus’s Walk’ continues this theme of a watery, other-worldly idyll and hints at UK electronic giants such as Orbital. ‘FlyiNg SaUcErs!’ is reminiscent of Bonobo and The Avalanches. The Avalanches similarity continues on the tongue-in-cheek but equally dramatic ‘Spacesound’, which takes the listener, Tron-style, inside an arcade game in which LCD UFOs rain synth ammunition down onto the listener from the heavens.
‘Lullaby of Tarzania’ has echoes of Röyksopp’s heart-breaking ‘Sparks’. Following this is another of the project’s highlights, the wonderful (and wonderfully titled) ‘Space Orangutan Gang’. Its heavy hip hop drums and off-kilter sample beg for your favourite Wu-Tangers to throw lyrical darts over the dramatic soundscape. The beautiful ‘Asita’s Sunset’, with its melancholy synths and bouncing percussion, is reminiscent of Boards of Canada. The project then ends on a high with the lovely, lilting guitars of ‘Somewhere In The Turbulence’.
For listeners fearful that dance music will be reduced to a race to the biggest 808 and most aggressive saw wave, hitch a lift with the Time Travelling Toaster and let his thoughtful, soulful dance music transport you into another world.