raw m.t.: trip to the far east

After a period of quite contemplation, Raw M.T. is back in the mix with the Lobster family with a deep, soothing and brooding contribution to the Distant Hawaii sub-label. With time spent away developing his studio, methods of mixing, as well as acquiring a small stash of new hardware, the resulting EP - inspired by recent travels to South East Asia - effuses all these elements and passions together with that signature Raw M.T. knack for organic percussion, heavily washed synths and pulsating rhythms. Opener Besakih's Dragons' Clouds rings out in the organo-ambient sphere. Natural instrumentation, percussion and bells are carefully woven together into a hypnotic tapestry of sound that chimes and shimmers with dense air and light spray. Follower Banjar Hot Springs chirrups into life by way of deft bird sampling. Analogue synth noodling and chattering brushed hats are all pulled together around skin-flapping hit of the warmest kick. A real extended studio meander through the thick bush. The steady rolling continues on the flip with Uluatu's God. A lolloping low-slung house roller that comes on thundering and stormy out of the midsection like the more understated and trippy contributions on Running Back. Ghosts of radar signals and lost electronics pierce the peace throughout. Jubilant at the final hurdle, Broken Sea's joyous chords chime an optimistic refrain around the grumbling, twittering, squelching electronics of an unruly modular/mono-synth combo. Real escalating chaos and floating pads to slowly come landing back down to Earth.