Regular ACL readers may experience a sense of déjà vu, as Liberosis is the second album we’ve reviewed this week ~ and the fourth this year ~ to have begun as a series of three EPs. The latest of these, Simon Leoza’s ACTE, even shares a division into acts. In the digital era, this staggered mode of release seems wise: a fun way to build anticipation for the full reveal.
Canblaster (Cédric Steffens) has been recording for a decade and a half, so some of his influences border on the retro: video games, breakbeat, even trance. But what holds the album together, in addition to its loose concept, is its warm and friendly tone. “So how do you want to feel?” a man asks in “upgrade.” “I just want to feel real,” a woman answers. One thinks of disco icon Sylvester, who once intoned, “You make me feel mighty real,” but in the current climate, one also thinks of A.I. and the sci-fi movie “Upgrade.” The following track sings of “being free,” a common club theme given new relevance in light of increased surveillance and government restriction. ACT I builds to a climax with the breakbeats and global vibe of “WORLD,” a reminder that at the turn of the century, it seemed that the nations were growing closer. The finale brings increased volume, acceleration and the sound of motors, a trio of musical metaphors.
Synthesizers continue to swirl in ACT II, extending the club vibe. Robotic voices intermingle with vocal samples, reflecting the sci-fi/manga tone of the videos. Will either side win, or will humans and machines reach a sort of symbiosis? The strings of “RISER” are seamlessly integrated into the programming, making anything seem possible. “TRANSMISSION” may be the single from ACT II, and “EYES” the closer, but the tender, lowercase “begin again” is its strongest track.
By the third act, the major themes have been established, leaving only the resolution. Fans will be happy to learn that the uninterrupted flow within EPs also extends to the transitions between acts. “SMUG SNAKE” sounds alienated, as if the conflict has reached an undesirable conclusion. This is the part of the movie in which all seems lost, followed by the happy triptych of “HIGHER,” “you will rise (intro)” and “YOU WILL RISE,” which produce a sense of pure club euphoria. Reaching the end is like getting to the final level of a video game; one doubted one would ever arrive, but when one does, the feeling is glorious. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 