nickolas mohanna: parallax view

Following on from his well received 2010 release ‘Transmission Hue’, ‘Parallax View’ is the latest instalment for Low Point from Brooklyn-based musician and artist Nickolas Mohanna. ‘Parallax View’ picks up from where ‘Transmission Hue’ left off and sees Mohanna delving ever further into his arsenal of sound. Rich in musical and textural content, it is record that, by turns, soothes and invigorates with the music contained on these two sides allowing the listener to discover something new with each listen. Whilst it is a densely layered composition of many colours, forms and sounds, it still maintains a focussed narrative with a momentum that propels the listener along, rather than languishing in ephemeral murk. By fusing crackling, mangled electronics, ice-cold synths with lush guitars and enveloping swathes of calming ambience, Mohanna has succeeded in creating a record of intriguing depth and beauty. Within this beauty there is an edge, a grittiness, which almost forbids the listener to become complacent or swept away with the ebb and flow of this record. Whilst it is most certainly a musical journey, one with the most exquisite scenery, it requires the listener to be alert and in full possession of their wits. ‘Parallax View’ has a sonic texture that reflects the manufacturing history of Mohanna's home borough of Brooklyn, via the electronic landscape of early-1970's West Berlin. Developing and combining the psychedelic kosmische aesthetic with an almost industrial patina is no small achievement but it is an accomplishment that Nickolas Mohanna can quite happily add to his list.

LP053 - Nickolas Mohanna - Parallax View