Gridlock - Trace

The music on this album is so alien compared to anything else i've heard in other so-called "IDM" genre. Often ambient, but never boring, Trace is a true prize in my music collection and I can't imagine there will ever be an artist that comes close to making anything this unique. Clearly the absence of vocals for this album was the right choice as these "voiceless" songs seem to create a futuristic world where you can easily get lost in. Gridlock's follow-up album, Formless, came close to this perfection but took a slightly different turn. A gem.

My favorite album from Gridlock. At this point their sound and style had changed somewhat. The beats and synths in this album sound very alien and future-like. To me, it reminds me of a soundtrack for a futuristic city in the clouds somewhere on a different planet. Another big difference in the sound is the absence of raspy vocals. Aside from a quick cameo on Voiceless - they're completely gone. Trace was when Gridlock began to branch out their sound.