fluxion: vibrant forms ii

Widely considered one of the landmark releases of dub-infused electronic music, as well as an endless resource of inspiration and awe for generations of electronic music artists and enthusiasts, Vibrant Forms II by Fluxion was originally released on Mark Ernestus and Moritz von Oswald's revered Chain Reaction label in 2000; this cavernous masterpiece now receives its long-awaited first-ever reissue from Barcelona imprint Subwax Bcn, with newly remastered sound and new artwork. Collecting the Prospect 12") and Bipolar Defect double-12, as well as previously unreleased tracks, Vibrant Forms II was Fluxion's second compilation on Chain Reaction, and it successfully managed to broaden the space and the environment of the compositions, as well as develop further his technique of textural sonic blend. Keep that in mind when entering "Prospect 1," the gateway into Fluxion's deep universe, as waves crash languidly on a foggy beach early in the morning. These visions of fog, rising steam, or thick mist are archetypical for Chain Reaction and Fluxion, and they haunt the listener throughout the Vibrant Forms II experience. Sometimes these visions take the form of dream-inducing haze filling the air in dark opium dens. At other times there are heaps of white summer clouds behind the listener's eyelids, slowly being pulled apart by cool gusts of wind. But there's more to Fluxion's music than these soothing elements. The pulse of the city is omnipresent; the sounds of organic lifeforms surging through the streets like a thick, humanoid liquid, flowing, mixing, dissolving. . . . But also the steady thumps, beats, and clicks of the city itself; the machines, the vehicles, the mechanical hearts. On the one hand, moisture and warmth. On the other, structure, logic, and aging concrete. This rare combination of hot and heavily sedated soundscapes with elements of chilling clarity and clinical precision makes Vibrant Forms II an immortal compilation. And that makes Subwax Bcn's decision to reissue it a significant act of cultural preservation.