ali berger: serious

New Jersey-born Ali Berger is a drum machine specialist and low-key US electronic music standby, now based in Pittsburgh after spending the 2010s in Boston and Detroit. His catalog of original music runs deep, with over 60 releases on his Trackland label and EPs on imprints like Spectral Sound and Sequencias, all resulting from a lovingly-cultivated studio approach which respects improvisation as a spiritual practice. Here with this sublime release on Scissors and Thread, Ali shares a multitude of sounds and atmospheres across the five tracks. As Ali himself puts it "This record collects tracks from the last three years, plus "0221 (Serious Mix)" which is from 2018. There's a full cross-section of production techniques represented here, from one-take jams to multi-tracked compositions, but through it all there's a deep melancholy which (I hope) is tempered by enough groove to be uplifting. Maintaining emotional balance takes constant, caring attention; music is a part of that process for me and these tracks reflect that." This balancing of melancholic atmospheres and groove is evident throughout. "Rhythm & Simplicity" is a low-key thoughtful banger for the more discerning dancefloors, while "A New World To Forget" also exhibits a deep love of cultured house music and analog drum machines. "Tape Jam Pt 2" is the perfect mix of improvisation and pure groove, put down in a rough and gritty fashion. 0221 (Serious Mix)" merges a breakbeat with pads and synths that give off a Balearic sunrise vibe, while "Motion Anthem" wraps up the EP with a tougher groove coupled with wistful melodies and oceans of feeling.