Album Review: Minilogue / ‘Blomma’ (Cocoon)

Minilogue Blomma

★★★☆☆

Sebastian Mullaert and Marcus Henriksson flicker, disappear then reemerge behind you on an ultimate in mind, body and soul disciplining, sounding so far away yet following you closely. The Swedes perform a synesthetic Morse Code backed by simmering swells. Minilogue don’t specifically aim for widescreen highs, preferring a degree of the grounded so they can dance and unwind to the light of neon-bulbed shapeshifting akin to a jellyfish lightshow.

Deep house beats on “Everything is All You’ve Got” are gently touched, a marveling trust exercise seeing you cradled should you stumble in slow motion. Teetering on the abstract with fades of pianos and blocks of misted instruments running leylines and a consuming angelic presence, “Atoms With Curiosity…” develops a full deep techno regime pushing down on your pleasure centres. Never found pausing despite a seemingly unending stillness, “Forgotten Memories” takes on a racing pulse in a suspended cardiac episode, still telling you to relax even if pupils are dilated.

The snug jazz ether of “Nor Coming Nor Going” and wispy nightcap of the album’s slowly-stirred remainder, support the longest of the eyes-wide-shut sessions “E de nÃ¥n hemma?” Almost an LP in its own right, its naturist scenery pulled from a sounds library, synth swirls, wind chimes, rolling waves and keyboard levitations are sent teleshopping for 45 minutes, until pangs of skepticism and free-minded improvisation seep in to find progression floating through space. For those with time on their side and a mind to flush out.

File under: Son Kite, Trimatic, Global Communication, DeepChord