Datacrashrobot (Sorin Paun) returns to Berlin based netlabel Crazy Language to release his Asynchronous I/O EP, his 3rd for the label. This is some of the best work I’ve heard yet from Sorin. Razor sharp, future dystopian, Darkfloor electronics.

The intricate level of sound design sucks me right in and holds me there without letting go. Metaprogramming and Piezoelectric Actuator are brilliant pieces of dark electro, abstract and yet most congenial. [//cut*repeat]’s Arc Drop Edit of Segmentation Fault is something else. It goes off heavy into sound design territory but pulls it back just enough that if one was inclined they could dance to it. If I say, if. Overall, it’s very tidy work from all involved on this 12 tracker, 6 of which are original compositions. The remaining 6 are remixes artists also on the Crazy Language artist roster (Sorin does get in on the act remixing Deprecated as his more experimental alias Randomform).

As with all the releases on Crazy Language you grab this one gratis as a 320kbps MP3 (or lossless, direct from the Datacrashrobot bandcamp page). If you’re keen to hear more from Sorin I can’t let you pass by without pushing the exclusive set he did for us on MANTIS RADIO early last year.

Further down you’ll see the video by the29novfilms of track Metaprogramming.

Datacrashrobot – Asynchronous I/O
GRAB

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Datacrashrobot – Asynchronous I/O
Datacrashrobot – Metaprogramming
Datacrashrobot – Piezoelectric Actuator
Datacrashrobot – Deprecated
Datacrashrobot – Segmentation Fault
Datacrashrobot – Probe Interconnect
Datacrashrobot – Probe Interconnect (Remixed by Mitoma)
Datacrashrobot – Segmentation Fault (Arc Drop Edit by [//cut*repeat])
Datacrashrobot – Asynchronous (XZICD’s 11 improvised remix)
Datacrashrobot – Deprecated (RE-precated by Randomform)
Datacrashrobot – Metaprogramming (Remixed by AESTATE)
Datacrashrobot – Piezoelectric Actuator (Remixed by Huron)

Bouncing glitches, echoed sub basses, walls of bleeps and flows of reduced tones: there’s a lot to hear in Datacrashrobot’s new album. With “Asynchronous I/O”, Romania’s Sorin Paun comes back to Crazy Language, on which he has already released two EPs under the Randomform moniker within the last years. This time around, though, things have become lusher, trickier, fuller.

A particularly abundant sonic trip, this new album takes its listener to a wild ride into a multi-tonal world made of very detailed, carefully crafted ensembles. May it be old school beats or futuristic sounding glitches and vocal snippets, Datacrashrobot manages to juggle with a wide array of sounds, perform some highly acrobatic material, and still land on its feet. At times luring his listener with an accessible retro-feeling, at times giving a passing nod to such forefathers as Autechre, and at times building menacing arrangements of complex beats, this album impresses by the multitude of its layers as well as with the accuracy of its compositions.

It somewhat shouldn’t come as a surprise that “Asynchronous I/O” can sound so complex and yet mature: Sorin Paun is no newcomer. With a dozen releases on various labels, this musician has acquired the experience and reputation of a talented bleep-smith, and this all transcribes perfectly in this new album. Enriched with remixes by his label-mates Huron, XZICD, AESTATE, Randomform, [//cut*repeat] and Mitoma the six original tracks and their at times playful, at times melodic re-interpretation form a byzantine yet deep album. Multiples listens might be required to grasp Datacrashrobot’s aim and tools, but the effort is very rewarding one. (Nicolas Chevreux)