Matt Lange wields synth mastery in ‘Patchwork’ EP

by: Christina Hernandez Apr 30, 2016

Mau5trap has proven to be a perfect home for Matt Lange. The maestro’s well-received debut LP Ephemera placed him among the top talent represented by the label, and his sound has only continued to flourish. A freshly-released Patchwork EP alludes to his mastery over the modular synthesizer, which he combines with his other strengths to create seven forward-thinking and diverse pieces of music.

“Tempi Disarming” opens the EP on a thematically dark note, giving an air of poignancy aided by dissonant piano chords entwined with crisp synth notes and distinct, pounding kicks. A menacing ringing sound persists throughout “Basilimus,” fostering a tense energy which just barely defeats the optimism from the track’s central melodic progression attempting to overpower it.

Lange picks up speed with “Hertz, Don’t It.” Colorful bouts of percussion and whispy synth patches sprinkled intermittently with load roars keep the track enticing through its entirety sans melody. “Elementally, My Dear Watson” follows the same note, stooping to a grungy warehouse level with cloudy hums, thumping bass, and eerie robotic sounds that conjure images of a post-apocalyptic landscape.

Patchwork moves into vulnerable territory at the end, diverting into two vocal tracks described by Lange as “two of the most personal tracks I’ve ever written.” Sadness and vulnerability are palpable in “Empty Walls,” which tells a story of a broken relationship accompanied by haunting keyboard and string melodies. He adopts a harder edge in “Consider This” with rock-inspired electric guitar riffs constructed in a subtly agitated progression.

Matt Lange’s second major project under mau5trap displays expertise we expected for such an undertaking. Melodic, technical cuts like “Tempi Disarming” paired with harder pieces like “Elementally, My Dear Watson” showcase his skill with the modular synthesizer and overall sound manipulation, presenting a diverse and striking body of work.