Laptop composer Doron Sadja’s first album was released by 12k in 2003; Residuals is its long-in-the-making follow-up. The album consists of four movements, which explore various emotional states through blissed-out feedback. The album’s cover is a pixelated close-up of a man crying, and while that may make it seem more dramatic than it really is, it’s a fitting image for the music. The first movement builds very gradually, beginning with near-silence and slowly rising in some sort of digital desert drone. The second movement starts out similar to the classic early-00′s Mego sound, with abrasive, melodic glitches that somehow seem multi-dimensional; it feels like something is physically piercing and cutting through your speakers. Which isn’t to say that it’s harsh piercing noise; rather, it’s measured and considered, and the abrupt bursts of noise truly make an impact. The third movement uses similar tactics, combining high-pitched feedback noises with digital stabs that seem to plunge straight down and trigger melodic impulses. It ends up congealing into the most rhythmic and melodic portion of the album, jittering about abstractly and recalling Vladislav Delay’s best work. The final movement consists of more shimmering, warm synth sounds, along with some soft piano-like tones which are hidden in the background a bit.
The initial pressing of this album comes in an oversized envelope sleeve, along with a few gorgeous digital prints. The ornate packaging is a nice touch, but even just considering the music itself, the album is a highly expressive work of digital emotion.
