Review: 555 “Solar Express”

14 Aug 2013 — Evelyn Malinowski

The masonic geometry on the inside of 555's Solar Express, out now on Oakland's Moon Glyph, mimics the symbolism of ancient medicine and science.

Numerologically, the project is a six. The number five added to itself three times – five times three – sums in fifteen. Then, adding one to five, we are down to a six, a digit signifying nurturing and healing. Such qualities are happily available in these songs. In fact, hopefulness is a key characteristic. While artists like Alveol work to resurrect unremitting trance-dance, with sparkling melodies, 555's album is more forgiving, something you want to listen to late at night when you stay up reading stuff on the internet, riding into the next day awake, knowing you'll be tired at work.

The opening track “Rainbow Death” conveys a melodic blanket comparable to the ones found in Ulrich Schnauss, but moving like Tetsu Inoue's compositions. The subsequent tracks “Ultralight Survey Malfunction” and “IED Intercept,” with prominent, dragging drums, countered by humbling keystrokes, are similar to the earlier work from Paul Dickow aka Strategy. The latter track also bares likenesses to the synthy jazz-drivenness of Stellar Om Source's latest release, Joy One Mile.

“Poor Tide Judgment” is a breathing, shimmering track reminiscent of Loscil's “Sickbay." It reminds me of this time of year exactly, when the height of summer is overcome, and everybody is inclined to sit some sunny days out, recuperating.

While I would call it straight-up electronica, Solar Express offers a refreshing source of psychedelia. Chris Farstad, the guy behind the five's, pulls no flashy tricks nor adheres to scene-related themes. Instead, he produced a meandering, kind-spirited cassette which demands only that we enjoy some contentment. This is typical of Minneapolis' Food Pyramid collective, of which Farstad is a founding member. As the group continues to activate space with sound, Farstad's branching out was perhaps necessary for cosy introspection.