anton kubikov: whatness

While the last Kompakt offering from legendary Russian synthesists SCSI-9 dates back to 2008, when the duo released their album Easy As Down, co-founder and techno/house virtuoso Anton Kubikov kept himself busy cultivating his own label Pro-Tez Records and establishing a career as solo artist with a clear penchant for dub-infused soundscapes and ambient music. Whatness is Kubikov's first solo full-length under his proper name. Weaving airy and iridescent sonic tapestry, Whatness takes up where his excellent contributions to Kompakt's Pop Ambient compilations left off. Anton Kubikov's special ear for ambience and tonal spaces was always an integral part of SCSI-9's musical DNA, alternating between tight dance workouts and vast melodic range. But it's as a solo artist that he truly started to explore these spaces, following mysterious sonic trails into foggy, reverb-heavy territory. Kubikov's contributions to the several installments of Kompakt's Pop Ambient compilation series announced the arrival of a promising new project, a promise more than satisfied with the immersive sound bath of first solo outing Whatness. Going from the richly layered electronic drones of "Liquid Mirror" or "Entrance" to the lush ambient dub of "Other The Sea" and "Kurt's Forest", or the minimalist, evocative piano of "Oktober" and "Pia", the album covers a lot of stylistic ground, but remains committed to its overall aesthetic of misty mountains and serene valleys. With the endearing "April", a true Pop Ambient classic from the 2016 compilation makes a welcome return, priming the canvas for the subtle bass throb of "North" and its charming synth bell orchestra. Masterfully refining and extending his sonic pallet on Whatness, Anton Kubikov can claim his spot among the very best of today's ambient composers.