WORDS: Aodhagán O’Flaherty
Five years and four albums on from the release of his spectacular debut LP From Here We Go Sublime, Swedish electronic producer Alex Willner (The Field) continues to leave an indelible impression on the world of minimal techno. The Field’s fourth release Cupid’s Head is a timely departure from the brilliant luminosity of previous albums as we enter a deeper, darker, more daring world. Even the black satin artwork hints to the music concealed underneath; sleek and sophisticated.
Willner returns to a solitary space for the production of this record, hence Cupid’s Head is indicative of a solo creation. The atmosphere of the album is at all times isolated and introspective. You feel privileged to be guided through one of Willner’s private masterpieces.
Like many other minimalists the beauty of The Field’s production lies within the unfolding of his musical processes. The Field’s tracks reveal themselves at a consciously careful pace. Layers of loops will build upon themselves to continuously develop a thick sonic fabric. What is most interesting about The Field’s technique however is how he manipulates his material to manufacture an intriguing design. You become aware of how the addition and subtraction of layers can etch away at the dynamics and foundations of a song’s structure. It’s blatantly simple but very clever. Nothing ever really changes, but then of all of a sudden you feel far from home.
Tracks like They Won’t See Me and Black Sea are the most adventurous of Cupid’s Head. They wander in and out of The Field’s most shadowy and treacherous of territories, where upfront beats, relentless rhythms and ominous acid house basslines reign.
A Guided Tour, Cupid’s Head and 20 Seconds of Affection all share similarities. They confidently convey the full bodied strength of The Field’s sound. 20 Seconds of Affection is almost completely saturated with swirling white noise, while a A Guided Tour powerfully punches out a strict beats underneath an endless ethereal arpeggiation. It’s The Field’s best attempt to engulf the listener with the whole sonic spectrum.
According to Willner, the production of Cupid’s Head was inspired by the creation of a loop for the track No. No… . It’s understandable therefore how such a catalyst plays an essential role in the album. No. No… illustrates The Field’s compositional qualities at their best. Sharp, hiccuping rhythms and choppy vocal samples rapidly rotate themselves into a vortex until they are all but destroyed; then Willner puts his thumb to the loops, slows them down, smoothes out their edges and completely modifies the tone of the track.
Minimalists are always spectacular at amplifying the consequence of subtle changes, they make big statements from all things small. The Field is no exception to this, minuscule components and concise alternations make Cupid’s Head epically large and metamorphic.
Fans of The Field will recognise familiar tones, timbres and textures in an instant. It’s still as lusciously ambient as Willner’s previous works, it’s just paced more slowly. The Field cautiously stretches out the six track record over a 54 minute canvas. Cupid’s Head is a refined, well balanced and mature work. Alex Willner is a master of his own art.
