Rian Treanor ATAXIA

ATAXIA, the debut album from electronic artist Rian Treanor, comes off the back of a series of well-received EPs. Named after a medical condition that causes the patient to lose control of their bodily movements, Treanor seeks to invoke a similar response in the listener. The record's constantly evolving beats show a significant IDM influence, yet they never feel overwrought: the album always has the dancefloor in mind. Treanor's frantic syncopation has drawn comparisons to footwork, and there's a clear thread between ATAXIA and Jlin's abstract and complex, yet aggressively grooving style.

Throughout the album Treanor attempts to synthesise real world sounds

ATAXIA opens with minimal, synthesised percussion and an uneasy, glassy drone. A computerised voice repeats the same statement again and again with small variations, culminating in "I piss. You piss. We piss. This is piss". The ominous, buzzing synths of 'A2' and 'B1' introduce a grime influence, while the chopped vocals and swung rhythms of 'B2' and 'C1' channel garage. 'C2' is pure awkward robot funk, shuffling and tripping over itself.

Throughout the album Treanor attempts to synthesise real world sounds. Snares decay with the rattle of a metal spring and beats are either woody or plastic, bringing to mind avant-pop producer SOPHIE. The SOPHIE influence is particularly evident on 'D2', whose metallic machine gun rhythms and hard synth stabs coalesce into banging avant-electro. 'D3' closes the album on a relatively ambient note, with dreamy house pads sounding into a sea of reverb, while disembodied vocals repeat "Don't understand people."

Jack Buckley