Space Is Only Noise
is the first full-length effort by
Nicolas Jaar
, a Chilean-American producer whose work is deeply influenced by
Ricardo Villalobos
, jazz pianists like
Dave Brubeck
and
Keith Jarrett
, and
Leonard Cohen
. Early singles
"Russian Dolls"
"Time for Us"
were more dancefloor-friendly than the album, which layers multiple acoustic instruments, most notably
Jaar
's own jazz-inflected piano, sampled vocals, and even a drum solo (the 23-second
"Trace"
) into a melancholy, pensive 45-minute journey.
assembled the disc from several years' worth of recordings -- he's relentlessly productive -- but it has a conceptual unity that makes it feel like the product of a single burst of inspiration. This music is spiritual, psychedelic at times, and always rooted in a strong core concept that goes beyond "intelligent dance music" toward the idea that electronics are merely a tool, and do not themselves demand loyalty to any particular aesthetic. In some ways, the music on
is reminiscent of pianist
Matthew Shipp
's early-2000s albums like
Equilibrium
Harmony and Abyss
, with sampled vocals and occasional singing to bring it closer to pop. Indeed, had he not chosen to release it on his own label,
could well have found a home as part of
Thirsty Ear
's Blue Series. ~ Phil Freeman