An acidic masterclass

Lapalux is English producer Stuart Howard. Rising to popularity after signing to Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder imprint in 2012, Howard has released a string of projects that showcase his heady abstract production. His newest album, Aminoverse, is a dark, dense and textured electronic odyssey. Deconstructed and fuzzy, the detailed, frantic beats and lush-drenched soundscapes provide IDM fans with a satisfying earful. 

Beautifully structured tracks like “Voltaic Acid” go from soft, ambient vocal relaxation to jittery, cracked out acidic techno and back again. The production is wonderfully complex. Glitchy percussion and sequenced synths are always in sonic flux and this gives the music a handcrafted quality. The track “Earth” is dramatic and energetic—dense clouds of vocal mush echo over driving powerful drums. The title track starts off subdued and ambient as a slow progressive wave of industrial synths takes over and smashes everything in sight.

Showcasing great versatility, tracks like “Helix” are meditative and subtle. Slow-moving synths are paired with dramatic vocal samples and environmental ambiance. “Thin Air” is an intriguing dance track, delicate vocals from JDFR ring out over pulsating drums and synths. The use of structure and progression adds a sense of emotional complexity and a cinematic nature to these tracks. “Limb to Limb” sounds like a sci-fi alternative R&B track with alien sound design and wonderful vocal melodies from artist Lilia. 

This futuristic IDM album is a breath of fresh air. Like a slow-moving sci-fi film, each track is built up and explodes with technological mysticism and detailed sonic storytelling. Howard’s impeccable sound design and layering is showcased on almost every track in, and dynamic composition helps the album stay fresh and always interesting. There are tracks to dance to cry and lose your mind inside of. Howard puts on a production and composition masterclass with Aminoverse.