simon hold: nt

Former half of Pitch & Hold, Simon Halsberghe steps up on Brussels's Vlek with his debut solo EP as Simon Hold. "Maqam Bruxelloise" reflects the wide-angle beauty and compelling diversity of the Belgian capital. Across a finely layered interplay of synthetic modulations and intricate polyrhythms, Hold arranges pattern-welded textures and prismatic synth motifs according to an interpretation of the traditional Arabic maqam system of improvisation. The gritty "Dhajij Doux" is a more disquieting, bipolar audio scenario. A truly haunting gem with a lead-heavy amalgam of sizzling bass and jagged drum work.