[Long Island Electrical Systems]
Last year, Ron Morelli’s L.I.E.S. imprint snatched fifth place in LWE’s label poll. Obviously, it did so by releasing great records, though there might be more to it than just that. Think back to this time last year. Had you heard the names Xosar, Terekke, or Marcos Cabral? No? Well, neither had most people. Quality music is thrilling enough in itself, but when it comes from unknown quarters, its allure is even greater. It awakens questions and possibilities. Who is this person? Do they have more of this stuff? What else can they do? SvengalisGhost certainly raises such questions. Based in Chicago, he first came to Morelli’s attention nearly five years ago when he went by the name Below Underground. It makes you wonder how many other obscure artists Morelli has up his sleeve (at least one more, it seems).
On this debut record, the influence of SG’s city of residence is strong, and yet the results are anything but derivative. Both “Deep Into Memory” and “Marathon” wear the menacing demeanor which has characterized so many house cuts from The Windy City. The former consists almost entirely of a singular, loping bass line. “You can run, but you can’t hide!” its elastic folds seem to taunt, like some shambling giant chasing after you. The other parts are correspondingly sluggish, with wispy pads and strangely tuned hats barely keeping pace. “Marathon” employs a similar bass timbre, but this time it’s fashioned into a mass of whipping tendrils. Accompanied by jagged claps and ghoulish cries, they attempt to strangle everything else, getting more and more abrasive as time goes on. “Mars Out Of Range” completes the trilogy, offering much prettier fare than before. True to its title, its melodies feel like a starry constellation rendered to audio. Twinkling at varying intensities and backed by dark, pounding percs, its masses of bright arp notes form a messy (and totally gorgeous) collage. If Mind Control is anything to go by, 2012 looks promising indeed for L.I.E.S.
