LA Synthesis – Matrix Surfer

Matrix Surfer must be one of the great lost electronica albums of the 90s. Complex melodies waft and wriggle over crunchy electro beats in a stye that is most closely akin to Black Dog but a bit punchier with some Drexiyan elements. The Designers Republic sleeve further adds to the mid 90s Warp feel. This one is crying out for a vinyl reissue!

The mysterious LA Synthesis haven’t put out much work, but what they have produced makes you anxious for more. On their only album to date, MATRIX SURFER, they artfully blend Detroitian techno with the sounds and melodies of early Black Dog era IDM. It’s deep and full of emotion, absolutely stunning. Though not as rhythmically complex as some of the Black Dog’s work, it’s melodically equal, avoiding predictable combinations and going, instead, for a rich texture. Take “Fromage Centralle,” for instance. The tracks swirls around a solid beat and continually morphs, creating new sounds for the ear to latch onto. “Frozen Tundra” takes its icy conceit into an aurora borealis of sound, while “Agraphobia” incorporates some industrial sounds into its rhythms to contrast the sounds flowing above it. “If” goes dark, while “Du Androids Dream” sounds like the lost theme to the movie Blade Runner. The final two tracks, “Frozen Tundra Dub” and “Zyllvakrynn” take the listener on an ambient journey. This album is more than worth the trouble it’ll take you to find it.

Awesome longplayer from the duo who released the amazingly deep electro of ‘Agraphobia’ on the awesome Plink Plonk label back in the day – subsequently remixed by the legendary detroit producer Mr Kenny Larkin. Outstanding production values and a real understanding of melody and restraint make this album an absolute classic in my humble opinion. Perhaps the most overlooked UK techno album of the 90's - alongside Insync vs Mysteron's 'Android Architect' album - this is a beautiful combination of second generation Detroit romanticism and sharp inventive grooves.
You could say its the greatest Detroit Album to come from outside of the D.