Cathode Ray Tube – Katabasis (Album – M-Tronic)

Genre/Influences: Minimal-Electro, IDM, Electro-Ambient, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Charles R. Terhune is a French artist who’s already busy for a while under the Cathode Ray Tube moniker. He mainly released his work during the past few years on Component Recordings, and this year released his third work on M-Tronic. “Katabasis” is an album driven by what’s happening in the world today; the impact of the pandemic getting some richer and others poorer.

Content: The sound universe of this musician brings different influences together. He creates a minimal kind of Electronics, which can be more IDM and then move more towards Ambient. Some passages have a strong cinematographic degree. You’ll hear a mix of IDM, groovy sequences and refined bleeps plus astral atmospheres.

+ + + : “Katabasis” is a well-crafted and elaborated piece of music. The songs are supported by dense Ambient atmospheres, which can sometimes become a tiny psychedelic. I however prefer the IDM side of the work, which emerges at “Merchant Of Dekay”. This is the kind of music reminding me of the genius of Lassigue Bendthaus. But there’s also something to say about the minimalism of “Volcano Song” and the groovy-driven “Diginal Dub (For DA)”.

– – – : “Katabasis” is alternating real great and intelligent passages with less inspired cuts. The more cinematographic and Experimental part of the work aren’t my favorite ones (cf. “Sideways Circuits”, “Algoriphonia”).

Conclusion: “Katabasis” is a modern piece of Electronics revealing an artist who’s mixing multiple influences together.

Best songs: “Merchant Of Dekay”, “Diginal Dub (For DA)”, “Volcano Song”, “Derelict 19”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.charlesrterhune.com / www.facebook.com/crtmusik

Label: www.m-tronic.com / www.facebook.com/mtroniclabel

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