jakob scott: doppler

LP of kosmische synth-explorations from the Causa Sui drummer. Doppler is the as-of-yet most conceptual album in El Paraiso Records' "Impetus" series, which is the label's imprint of improvisation and chance collaborations. On Doppler, Jakob Skøtt utilizes two synthesizers and a chain of effects. That's it. This may sound like a tedious exercise, but for an album mostly spliced together by layers and layers of first takes and unexpected real-time peaks and turns, there is a unique sense of both structure and texture filling these vibrant tracks. Although relying heavily on synchronization (the most important source of sound being a Prophet 600, the first polyphonic-synth to implement the midi-synchronization signal), every track constantly shifts and turns in unexpected ways. Sometimes creeping drones seamlessly leave heavy pulsations behind in the dust, other times abruptly blending melodies into strange permutations of polyrhythms, never quite settling back into any sort of pattern, an organic element being a constant presence in these tracks. The closest reference to this sort of music is, of course, the school of German kosmiche: Cluster, Kraftwerk, Harmonia, etc. But the strains of John Carpenter and Steve Reich's individual brands of modulation and repetition is just as clearly apparent throughout the album, topped off with an overall psychedelic tone ala Can or Soft Machine. Besides drumming in respected stoner-psych outfit Causa Sui, Jakob Skøtt has been involved in a wide range of projects, including drum duties for Limp and Chicago Odense Ensemble (featuring Jeff Parker and Rob Mazurek of Tortoise, etc.). Jakob also operates as the noted shoegaze-duo Syntaks alongside his girlfriend Anna. Furthermore, Jakob is the one responsible for the El Paraiso visual shtick, as well as having done exclusive live visuals for such acts as Amon Düül II, Acid Mothers Guru, actress Asia Argento, and the Roadburn festival. Impetus implies movement. The doppler effect is soundwaves shifting in pitch as the listener approaches it: Manipulation of sound through the use of space.