ReGen Magazine

Angina P makes her mark with an album of melodic ambient textures, sure to send you into a danceable yet hypnotic state.

The Vienna-based producer known as Angina P may have taken her name from the medical term for her condition (a form of chronic throat pain), but on her new album, 8 Rooms, her music has all the richness and texture of any human voice. Presented here are eight tracks of enticing beat structures coupled with soothing ambience; sounds like a perfect formula for any ambient/IDM album. So what can Angina P offer that hasn't been done by dozens of other artists of her ilk? One need only listen to 8 Rooms for the answer, for Angina P demonstrates her capacity for highly melodic soundscapes that are as dreamy as they are energetic.

A series of steady sonar-like pings lead us into the first track, "Known Issues," before a light buildup of strings and ringing synth pads layer atop each other to create a bed of lush ambience. A tinny drum & bass style beat kicks in, making the track as danceable as it is hypnotic, although never allowing itself to be completely overtaken by percussion. "No Time to Bleed" is slightly heavier on the beats, but amidst the cavernous echoes are those soft and subtle layers of strings and pads, belying the implied violence of the song's title. However, it is on the third track, "Placemat Club," that the listener becomes aware of a certain repetition of formula on 8 Rooms; this track contains only vague variations in the structure to differentiate it from the two preceding tracks, and comparisons to early Aphex Twin (particularly the Selected Ambient Works period) become all the more apparent. Then, when "Good Lady Wife" comes in with its soft yet eerie progressions slightly reminiscent of a suspense or psychological horror film, the atmosphere changes and we are treated to a track with a slightly darker tone, which somehow makes all the difference. "My Robots" is the last original track, and lives up to its title with a series of faded warbles and voice samples akin to how one might imagine an automaton's circuit-bent thoughts would sound, making for one of the more abstract tracks on 8 Rooms.

Closing the CD out are three remixes. Semiomime's remix of "Known Issues" retains the pings, but places a heavier emphasis on the beats, while rearranging the pads into a new, more mysterious melody. Conversely, Edgey's version of "No Time to Bleed" keeps true to the original melody, but besides adding an array of frenzied IDM beats and glitches, also includes some new bits of sustained distortion, making the track all the more ominous. The Larvae remix of "Placemat Club" slows down the tempo and exits us out with an almost breathless quality.

Angina P has certainly crafted a lovely little album with 8 Rooms, and while it may not tear down the foundations of IDM or ambient music, it will definitely provide a great deal of enjoyment. The melodies are simple yet contemplative, the beats conservative yet lively, making an effective combination for music you can both dance and relax to.

Ilker Yücel, ReGen Magazine 01/30/2007
www.regenmag.com