REVIEWS

Sunao Inami
Laid Back Computing

Electr-Ohm

Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2008
By: Dillon Carlyon

Sunao Inami has put out a large number of albums now, all of them a chaotic mixture of tracks ranging from breakbeat and hissing electronic pulses to slightly more subtle, ambient soundscapes. Although the material on Laid Back Computing doesn't really develop the project's sound in any new or different directions, this release reaches a stimulating level of depth and emotional expression. A lot of time is spent developing the direction that each track takes, and the destination never really seems to be reached, giving the impression that a profound question has been asked and no answer is expected. Perhaps the best thing about Laid Back Computing is that you really don't know what you're going to get from track to track, and if you're paying attention, it does manage to tweak some unusual combinations of emotion. Although it is uniformly minimal and ambient, it keeps the listener hanging on because the picture being painted is in constant flux, never staying still and always moving, changing.

The first track, "Sleep,Dream,Optimize" starts things off with probably the most basic beat that is to be found on this album, augmented by a series of clicks and electric pulses that give the impression of anxious anticipation. "The Man Who Sold the Calculator" is comparatively busier and more aggressive, with a nonstop, hollow, almost wooden beat on the lower range supported by a high clash and a buzzing electric drone that reconciles the two warring pieces of percussion. "An Ephemeral Thing" is very different from all of the tracks preceding it, with samples of rushing water backed by a low, thick, dissonant hum and an effect that sounds something like crickets being electrocuted, while "All Things Must Pass" continues on a more pensive note with cold chimes, electric whirrings, and distant echoing beats creating the feeling of crossing a vast intimidating space. "Waiting in the Grain" brings the listener back to the ground with a thick noncommittal beat accompanied by high-pitched chirps, and breathy synth tones come to the forefront and then fade away.

Fans of IDM and breakbeat will find a worthwhile listen with Laid Back Computing. While it is difficult for artists who focus mainly on delivering a minimal, low-key style of electronic music to distinguish their work, Sunao Inami consistently keeps it fresh and interesting with this release.