Norken - Soul Static Bureau

A wonderful blend of styles are in evidence on this mesmerizing album. There are pieces of house, IDM and ambience all fused to create an ever so subtle soundtrack. The minimal house beats are offset beautifully by gentle sweeping synths, and laid back bass lines help keep the groove going. The mix is never cluttered - each element is given plenty of room to stand out.

This blueprint is in evidence throughout the album, but each track has a distinct mood of its own. The unifying production values help to create a hypnotic flow to the whole, which encourages start to finish listening (and I think this is the way to get the most from this album).

At ten years old, this release is still offering up new delights for me with every listen (and there have been lots and lots of those). This album is certainly a grower and is one of the best produced works I have ever heard.

Norken's Soul Static Bureau is a masterpiece of subtle deepness quite unlike any other piece of music I know.

Lee Norris, in his Norken guise, finds him still reveling in digital blippery, but without the electro influences that mark his main alter-ego, Metamatics. On SOUL STATIC BUREAU, Norris delves into deeper territory, concentrating on sustained tones and stark rhythm patterns. So while “Gone” bops around rather pleasantly, “Painting” reveals longer strokes in its sound. There’s also a marked house-influence, although the tracks probably aren’t suitable for the dancing. That’s not a problem, though, when you have the angular drive of “Southern Soul” or the swimming sounds of “Shifting Through.” The ghost of Detroit comes shuffling through on “Motor Breeze,” while “Melissa Blend” closes out the album with a now-familiar vibe. Static? Not in the least.