Andrew Lagowski* ‎– Nadir

The version of this I have been sent is the original recording. A remastered version is available for purchase. As far as I can tell, this is ANDREW’s first solo project, and a damn good starting point. Side one opens up with “Una Tormenta", a medium-paced atmospheric piece with heavy walls of vocal samples spread across a thin and skeletal drum track which, typical of these musicians, is more complex than appears on the surface. It’s a track using sampling (or is that a Mellotron?) is en uncompromising way. “Data Travellers” follows this, a much more upbeat piece with sustaining, almost Gregorian vocal sounds which carry it along in harmonic washes. “USA v LHO” is a noisy piece of music with the drum track so strange it almost sounds looped. Some of the most creative use of samplers / effects I’ve heard in ages appears on this track, so odd, it almost blows the ears! Good stuff that makes me sick with envy. “Crashed Disk Event” is another medium-fast piece with snappy white snares and a full, complicated sound. It whirls and twists around itself in ever-changing forms and shapes. “Varian” finishes off this side of the album with a medium-paced piece with a large and distant sound, full of atmosphere.
Side two opens with “Blue At Midnight”, an atmospheric piece opening without a beat which changes and transforms into odd and bizarre shares, with high speed tape snatches, ‘found’ voice, and dense electronic sheets of sound, this is quite clearly the most extreme piece of music the MOTORCADE boys have created. This goes on for a long while, seeming to be both ever-changing and immutable. Through it’s black electronic journey it travels, finally finding liberty, which it uses to good effect, being another medium-fast piece of music with strict gated snare keeping the whole structure together while all manner of electronics gather around it like drones a round a Queen, paying homage to it in beautiful, rich waves of sound. “World Without Sun” is again a shapeless, electronic meandering piece with sustaining sounds like Air-Raid sirens, sitars and thick, coIourful feedback all of which seems to flow in a wonderful ever-changing stream of sound which finally draws to a peaceful end.

This is probably the most 'extreme’ recording to come out of the MOTORCADE so far. Part pop, part Industrial, this is a good starting point for those interested in this label. All tracks seem to have some degree of experimentation to them, be it fractured drum rhythms of the 'rhythmless' sounds from side two. Well worth anyone's money - quality sound, quality music.

Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.