It is an obliquely timed, dystopian space that opens up in the sound scenarios that Japanese producer Masayoshi Anotani creates. No sooner had the Japanese artist single-handedly released his first EP under the name Mars89 in 2016, did the whole thing about artificial intelligence, or rather learning systems in contemporary pop culture, go through the roof. Like so many, Anotani saw it coming, was fascinated by the dynamics and uncontrollability of the developments and, between ballroom, dance hall, Gqom and tribal sci-fi soundtracks, launched a style from its baptism, which perplexed critics tried to approximate with word sponges like »deconstructed club«. Little has changed to this day. What has changed, however, is the tempo and texture of the tracks, which Mars89 has succeeded in honing on six more EPs – in the interim on more marginal labels like Bokeh Versions, Undercover and Sneaker Social Club. In the meantime, the producer, who has been working for some time in Tokyo, has even been remixed by the likes of Thom Yorke and Zomby and can therefore be considered a high-profile human export in electronic music, who stylishly puts the penchant for catastrophism in Japanese culture to music. This is by no means exaggeration, given that his début album »Visions«, which was released last year on Bedouin Records, merges ominous chimes with beat syncopations in hob mode. The rhythm of this album is sucked in rather than squeezed out with negative pressure, while footwork cymbals and metallic groaning shots on »Auriga« and »Flatliners« support the backdrop as an eschatological staffage. Nevertheless, references and own ideas stand shoulder to shoulder equally. The fact that the Italian, Maenad Veyl, produced this record can be heard more than clearly on »Nebuchadzennar« or the anthemic »Goliath«. It often sounds as if some version of ChatGPT, which has been evolving for years due to alphabet algorithms, is fighting with Skynet over who gets to eradicate these parasitic lumps of flesh called humans from the face of the earth. Without us noticing, of course.
Visions
