MAPS & DIAGRAMS

Polytuft-tech

CD/LP, expanding records

The cover of “polytuft-tech” shows a photograph of a rural landscape shot from bird’s view through a hole in the clouds. The picture is filtered to resemble an aquarelle and completely in tones of blue. If I tell you in addition to that, that “polytuft-tech” combines soft and warm keyboards with gentle drum’n’bass-rhythms and other percussions to produce a big range of lush and peaceful atmospheres, you might find that you know enough about this CD already. You don’t. Not until you’ve heard it.

Tim Martin does it again. On the second album under the moniker of maps & diagram he once more produces that timeless-floating in space-atmosphere that I so enjoyed on “free-time” a few month ago. Some things have changed, though, mainly the incorporation of almost overtly and distracting use of drum’n’bass-rhythms and other drum-sounds that bounce off the synthesized atmospheres, loops and harmonies. So it is a step from his fixation from teenagehood with early German electronic music towards the modern sound of multi-tracked electronica, the Warp-sound maybe? The connecting line of dots between Kraftwerk and Aphex Twin? Yes, but also much more than that. Because, obviously, the result is more than the sum of its ingredients. Perfect synthesis, accordingly. The drumpatterns and the keyboard-sounds are two parts of a greater structure, built as almost by itself through the magic powers of music, of sounds and textures. These 16 tracks are like a warm and rich welcome into a new world, a lush soundtrack to a peaceful flight through the clouds.

Two things are most prominent and strikingly evident when listening to “polytuft-tech”: One is the wide variety of sounds and atmospheres within a seemingly narrow range of musical expressions. An evil mind could say, that Tim Martin is using the same keyboard-sounds and the same drum-sounds over and over again without any progression. But evil minds betray themselves, usually, and in this case they are definitely wrong, because even if the sounds used on one track might be similar to those used on other tracks, their relations and oppositions are quite different. That evil mind ignores the small differences, which make up not only music, but are also very important for mankind, because they mark individuality and thereby the whole person. Moreover, the selfsame argument would go for piano-concerts, where the player uses one and the same piano only. Or literature, that uses the same words over and over again. Maybe an argument why fascists and dictators have no sense for art.

The other thing that makes this record, is the overall atmosphere of peacefulness, an almost tranquil state of mind that settles thoughts at ease and builds a wall of fluff around you to keep out the chaos and hyperactivity of the modern world. Listening to “polytuft tech” makes you breathe slower and more conscious. At the moment I am very open to such signals, trying to get as much rest as I can. But that is a completely different story. Lets suffice it to say, that if you have spent some years straining hard for something that suddenly looks and sounds completely useless and senseless, you will stop, turn around and try to walk a completely different way. At least until you reach a fork in the road that might lead you to a better place. But this time around you’ll look hard to see what’s up in front for you. At least, that is what I am going to do in a few weeks. Anyway, if you need some rest, this album is as perfect as a full day’s sleep.

www.expandingrecords.com

08/2003