Decisiveness is not one of Bartosz Kruczyński’s strengths – at least when it comes to his stage names. Sometimes he goes by the name of The Phantom, sometimes by his real name and sometimes even by the name Earth Trax, making music between ambient, house, techno and IDM. He doesn’t have to decide either. This is because his sound is recognisable in spite of the name changes. Also on his third album as Earth Trax. This is because »The Sensual World« is one of those records the vibrating landscapes of which are perfect for nights when most of the time is spent in front of the club. Sometimes the whole rhythm in »Metal« quivers like the pulse of a mecha before the first beat. Sometimes in »Dream Pop«, the beats bounce against the hi-hat like spinning tops. Nonetheless, »The Sensual World« never degenerates into a brachial album. Rather, Bartosz Kruczyński has found a way in it to infiltrate the cold and hard sound of many of the tracks with more expansive moments. The synthesisers on »Dreams Made Flesh«, for instance, make up part of this when they carry the whole track. In the end, however, the tracks always arrive at the centre of the impulses – with each beat firing up a new neuron. So when in »Nowhere« a distorted vocal sample finally gives a hint of human existence, it only flickers briefly. Someone has to dance to this album, though. Or suffer from cerebral gyrations on the other side of the wall. Here, too, no one has to decide, though. With »The Sensual World«, both are possible.
Earth Trax
LP1
Shall Not Fade