Cheapbeats have recently released a lo-fi glitch monster in
the form of Hizmi’s ‘New Power’, in turn making up for their last two rather shaky
releases. Written on a vintage X68000, a Japan-only home computer originally released
in the late 80s, Hizmi, or The Eastern Aphex Twin, expels glitch madness and
subtle melodic tones, all strung together with some of the most powerfully eclectic uses of bass I’ve ever heard. Whilst maybe not for the casual listener, those
willing to wade their way through the patchworks of beats and melodic fragments are likely
to find a fantastic release within.
Where ‘New Power’ succeeds best is in its ability to supply
equal amounts of glitched chaos and consistent groove. Opener ‘Murasame’ cruises
along at 30mph, seeping wonky hip-hop beats and sparklingly warm tones. ‘Swoop’
evolves from sparse percussive nuance into a trap beat so huge Chief Keef would
be spitting vulgarities over it within seconds, and ‘Shigure’ flirts with lounge
jazz whilst the scattershot beats and precise bass lend it a subtle groove.
Also of note are the sounds in general. Hizmi takes the
X68000, runs clear of its use being a gimmick and instead heads straight for the
door marked ‘Masterful Execution’. Whilst providing swagger, there is also a
layer of luscious warmth running throughout, sounding like Boards of Canada as
heard through a kaleidoscope. ‘Gohyakubuchi’
strings together elements of downtempo with watery glitch, the subtle
synthesised tones fashioning a collage of bubbly melodies. Also, the album features frequent moments of
staccato arps that twinkle like stars in a literary cliché that I refuse to
complete, and they all add up to a listening experience which is as cathartic
as it is disorientating (on first listen anyway).
‘New Power’ is fantastic, so good in fact it could have
easily been released on the prolific glitch label Bedroom Research. Minus the
rather superfluous, and to be honest bland, ‘Mpede’, Hizmi has crafted a set of
varied, intense and detailed tracks that often surpass genre boundaries. Whilst the use of the X68000 here is unlikely
to spur any revolutions within the scene or spawn many copycat producers, at the
very least it etches Hizmi a niche corner of solitary brilliance, acting less
as a preacher of the vintage home computer and more a purveyor of hardware
experimentalism and the benefits that come with it.
Favourite track: Swoop
