Dive Verdict: 4 of 5 Stars
Listening to Black Noise is like riding a topsy-turvy carnival ride. German beatmaster Pantha Du Prince locks the listener in his seat with an almost uniform sound, and then contorts perception with invigorating variations.
Du Prince starts each song with shimmering chimes, bass and clear synthesizers. But as the album progresses, each songs shifts and mutates with layers of differing effects. At the same time, his consistent sonic glue allows the songs to still meld together fluidly.
And unlike electronic colleagues F---ed Up and Toro y Moi, Du Prince uses minimal amounts of noise which makes for a clean, refreshing sound.
Opener “Lay in a Shimmer” is an airy and delicate composition that sets the stage for the rest of the album. It contains Du Prince’s basic ingredients, but as the album continues, it layers a diverse range of keyboard chatter, creating an active, if somewhat constrained, sound.
Despite his foundations Du Prince keeps things from getting monotonous.
He’ll drop a different techno beat here, dial back on the chimes there, speed up the tempo, then slow it down again, keeping the listener on her toes throughout.
Navigating these subtle changes is akin to riding a wave. Powerful, shifting melodies propel you forward in an unstoppable force
Even though it clocks in at over an hour, Black Noise carries you along so swiftly that it almost feels too brief. Reverberating with nuanced versatility, it’s a record that should steal away many hours from those who choose to take the ride.
