Shrouded in Mystery

Ψ is the third album to come out from patten, a duo known individually as simply A and D. The album keeps up with patten’s agenda to deconstruct any and all elements of the electronica genre.

“Locq” opens the album up with a looped synth orchestra tune that is quickly taken over by a more sci-fi inspired melody. The two melodies contradict one another, but fall together perfectly while simultaneously becoming electronic and primal, which is mostly supported by A’s monotone chant in the background.

“Sonne” follows in a dramatic fashion, but somehow loses some of the momentum developed from “Locq.” “Dialler” comes on early in the album and is rhythmical the cleanest song and the least abstract song on Ψ. The bass keeps everything on track and provides a reprieve from the disjointed beats on the rest of the album. This is all quickly contradicted by “Used 2 B” where both the lyrics and bass are chaotic and not completely understandable.

“Pixação ” is the halfway point and serves more as a quick refresher to get ready for the second half of the album.

While songs like “Epsilon” and “Cache” help show some of patten’s reach in the abilities to play with other aspects of electronica, like R&B and ambient, the second half of the album falls somewhat flat and the cracks begin to show. The excitement and heat from the abstract and experiment on the first half fizzles out and as the loops continue to repeat, like in “The Opaque,” the songs feel really drawn out. By this point, patterns start to emerge and the songs become predictable, which mostly defeats the purpose of deconstructed and abstract music. The second half of Ψ is somewhat saved by the last two songs. “Yyang” adds on an extra layer of darkness which is not explored anywhere else on the album and “51-61-6” only provides a complementary bookend to “Locq” as the album begins and ends on a synth orchestra.