FEYNMAN crosses into experimental urban bliss with ILLUSIONS II [EP Review]

by: Dancing Astronaut Staff Dec 15, 2017

A longtime protagonist of electronic music’s more experimental avenues, FEYNMAN has long been a tough artist to pin down to just one sound or genre. For ILLUSIONS II, the long awaited follow-up to the EP’s series debut, the Frenchman sounds no less ready to hand in his chips to the predictable palate, instead of testing the waters with a rich and conceptual stake at a formay usually reserved for one sole single and a handful of B-sides.

The EP has just one outright vocal moment is no small feat. Accompanied by beloved Madlib collaborator and overall American rap legend Freddie Gibbs, “The Wave” brings a hip-hop infused spin on the dark and moody undertones of the EP. Whilst “ITHACA” spins in the vein of more minimal Kaytranada and DJ Shadow influences, “YourNotDead” sees in more dance floor favoring vibes, like a short and sweet not to some of Bromance’s fine moments. The body of work’s additional tracks feel more like interludes and bridges between the EP’s core themes, but at seven tracks long, this conceptual short-player fits a lot of different tones, textures, and emotions into play.

It’s reassuring to see and hear artists with the compassion for their craft to hone such experimental short players, but this is just the kind of wizardry we have come to expect from FEYNMAN over the past several years.