Dan Mcrae: Thin Films Eskimo

Dan Mcrae: Thin Films Eskimo, produced by Dan Mcrae, is post-IDM mutant creativity. RIYD Squarepusher, early (or late, for that matter) Autechre, or some of the earlier Detroit techno (viz. a viz. the balancing music driven by concept, or vice versa) it has staying power. There is a lot of material to soak up here, and it ranges from dirty, almost grime, beats, to ascetic compositions that take some digging in the crates to find these days.

I myself am from New York City by way of a tundra all its own. We spent winters snowmobiling across plains where corn stalks and leafless trees served as reminders of how the surroundings would look when the sun came out. That was where I first got into IDM, although I would not qualify this album as part of that genre. I consider it laptop techno - a man, his tools, and the creative juices that make possible the synthesis of a new compound by the former two.

McRae juxtaposes musical space and density of rhythm in unique ways. Tracks like "Huskies" have a certain cerebral playfulness that resonate in me with me in the same way as Autechre's earlier work, or, to draw a comparison that might not be immediately apparent, Bogdan Raczynski's.

The standout track on the album is "Polar Bear." Playing randomly on my iPod one day, I was forced to pause on Park Ave and 33rd to check the artist. The track is masterfully crafted. Anyone who dabbles in music knows the difficulties of getting a pad to sound just right. It is possibly the hardest technique to master: beginners will create variances of early nineties kit, and professionals often produce original, and yet musically boring, ambiences. Producing a timbre that can sustain for more than a second, and not sound derivative is a real trick. "Polar Bear" shows that McRae knows what he's doing. Like "Tommib" by Squarepusher, it has that same gritty shimmering sound that transports the listener and remains in the air after the song has finished. As if that weren't enough, we get a bleepy "Lure of Time_String Theory Remix" and another "Alpha Remix" version replete with creepy guitar work and crunchy beats.

McRae takes IDM and turns it on its head. Like successful artists before him, he has dissected the bits of the culture worth saving, distilled them down to essences, and added his own ingredient to create a chemical all its own. Snap it up.

Gabriel Weinstock, NY, April 2005

Dan Mcrae: Thin Films Eskimo:

What can often be missing from electronica and ambient music is a sense of tension, conflict, even harshness. That's why an album like Eskimo from Dan McRae, a.k.a. Thin Films, is like a breath of fresh cold Arctic air. The music on this CD is invigorating and edgy, as McRae expertly infuses his "cinematic electronica" with rough edges and forceful power. This balancing act, pitting lush keyboards and twinkling bell tones against aggressive snare, high-hat, and bass beats, as well as more abstract percussive textures and scratchy "noise" elements, yields a bewitching alchemy that fascinated me from the very first playing. Eskimo constantly kept me slightly off-balance, which for a well-worn and jaded music reviewer, was a refreshing change of pace.

Graced by a great cover and internal artwork (kudos to Neil Shrubb and Julie Blackett), the music on this CD is not what you might expect since the album's obvious inspiration is the cold barren landscape of the far north. But, on the other hand, where else is the environment so unyielding and cruel, even while it is achingly beautiful? So, perhaps McRae has uncovered the "true" musical interpretation of this frozen land?

Another aspect of Eskimo I enjoyed was its relatively short length (forty-six minutes). McRae proves that VERY good things come in small packages, apparently. This is because he appreciates succintness and economy in his music, not allowing any one groove, beat, or texture to go on and on and on until boredom sets in. A first rate quality, that, in my concerted opinion!

Of the eleven tracks, one of my favorites is the frenetically-paced opener, "The Hunt," driven by pulsing bass and high hat beats, some scratching effects, and a forlorn horn-like keyboard for the main melody, along with judicious use of wind-like noises and a smattering of analog synth notes during the bridge. "Huskies" is another gem, setting off delicate bell tones against echoed crashing percussive effects and a electrostatic pulsing noise, with an undercurrent of warm washes and drones, and climaxing in the middle with an assortment of heavy duty beats and rhythms. The track alternately builds in power and then subsides, the shimmering bell tones that percolate over pumping synth beats in the bridge are ultra-delicious. "Polar Bear" is too short (a minute and a half), but still enjoyable; it's one of the few non-rhythmic pieces on the CD, consisting of layers of synths and drones, chillingly beautiful yet eerie as well (another one in that vein is the haunting tone poem, "Inuit in NY," which I also wish was a little longer).

"Morning Valley" is wonderful, beginning with echoed piano amidst the sound of thunder and terrific lush strings, then turning into an almost classical piece when McRae combines plucked orchestral strings with bowed ones, and imparting a slow yet deliberate cadence to the music. The album closer, "Lure of Time Alpha Remix," begins softly with strummed guitar yielding to a rush of wind and drones before a funky mixture of both dub and drum and bass beats washes over the song, carried on a current of floating synths and keyboards, before evolving into spacy electronics, jazzy piano, and soaring strings amidst arrhythmic beats - avant garde lounge music for cold polar nights?

While not perfect, Eskimo is one of the more audacious and inventive electronica/rhythmic ambient recordings I've heard in a while. I can't get enough of McRae's blend of warm melodicism, through the use of strings and major key synths, with aggressive rhythms, rapid beats, and adventurous application of more abstract textures and effects. Maybe this is what electronica sounds like above the Arctic Circle as the aurora borealis rains down electronic interference on the frozen regions of ice and rock. The cold northern wastelands are full of beauty and also peril; it's not a land to be taken lightly, obviously. Eskimo mirrors that duality, keeping you always aware of the danger lest you be lulled into a blissful sense of naivet . The CD is strongly recommended, and be sure to wear headphones because the mix is superb on the album and you'll want to catch all of it.