New York artist Slava Balasanov goes mononym for his very good EP on Software, Soft Control. (For full first and last name action, watch our piece about his just-closed art show at Eye Beam.) He is clearly a particularly keen listener, collecting snippets from multiple genres, tropes of footwork drums, the wild keys of acid house, low gothic moaning and much more into a dramatic, excited blur. We posted John Roberts' recent Blondes remix and noted that he was pushing the boundaries of electronic music; Slava is too. But whereas Roberts is interested in deconstruction and messiness, Slava's music is precise. The harp that opens the final song, "Swan" is meticulous and beautiful, set alone before the track unfurls and the drums ripple out. They sound like tiny fireworks. Soft Control is out now—two of those hands on the cover are Slava's.
Stream: Slava's Soft Control EP
