Jeff Mills rarely needs an introduction but for those of you new to the name, Jeff Mills (aka “The Wizard”) is a pioneer and well respected artist in the genre of techno music, Clairvoyant (his latest solo work) demonstrates the reason why.
| Jeff Mills_The Clairvoyant “There are many ways to imagine the future. One might be to look back in the past to see what has similarities to what we are seeing today. Another way might be to invent and build a time machine to jettison ahead in time to get a glimpse. And, one way might be to use our natural senses to feel what the future might be like. Though all are intriguing to explore, this album is about the latter option. We are a species of human animals and we are guided by the ways of “knowing” from feeling; by the ways of intuition, premonitions and sensing. Each one of us are born with this special tool set that tells us when the time is right, when enough is enough and when there may be more or less to it. It has been these skills that has allowed humanity to survive and flourish for thousands of years. It is also safe to say that we do not know all there is to know about this skill. A Clairvoyant is a person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact. 100 years around 1920, a person with such abilities that could summon, speak to the decease and spirits were in high demand due to post World War I battle casualties, the Spanish Flu virus pandemic of 1918, the social and civil unrest and many more events that made uncertainty the norm. Ironically, the we were doomed to repeat some of these events and what we’re experiencing today. The general impression of Clairvoyant was that of a conductor of faux hope, scam artist that preys on grief and desperation or someone that believes in their natural ability a bit too much! In many cases, this might have credit, but also, it was this person, with this way of supposedly channeling the beyond that gave people hope, optimism, resolve and much needed closure. The album plays in the way of a metaphysical séance and should be listened to in a darkened, candle lit room. A silent space, free of outside noise, chatter or talking and other visual distractions. The album should be listened in full – from beginning to end”. – Jeff Mills |
Verdict: This is something else, almost other-worldly. A dark voyage to the other side with somber tones throughout. To simply pigeon hole it ambient techno, would be an injustice, as this cuts way deeper. Intensely atmospheric, the beats drive the tracks while the synths create eerie soundscapes and strange melodies. As the title of the album suggests, the ambiance of the album is like that of a realm beyond ours, strange almost uncomfortable at times, but drawing the listener in, igniting ones curiosity to go further, to see what lies behind the curtain of our own existence.
Everyone will draw their own interpretations and meanings from what lies deep within the tracks but I think its up to the individual to make up their own minds of what the music says to them. Jeff Mills is an artist, and I believe there is not a single unintentional brush stroke here. It’s a beautiful late night deep dive experience to get lost in.
| Vinyl Tracklisting: A1. Jeff Mills – The Seance A2. Jeff Mills – Pseudoscience B1. Jeff Mills – Remote Viewing B2. Jeff Mills – Someone Who Feels Things B3. Jeff Mills – Calling All Loved Ones C1. Jeff Mills – Shadow With A Golden Aura C2. Jeff Mills – Wait, I Feel A Presence C3. Jeff Mills – Three Signs From The Other Side (First Sign) D1. Jeff Mills – Three Signs From The Other Side (Second Sign) D2. Jeff Mills – Three Signs From The Other Side (Third Sign) E1. Jeff Mills – Questions, Decisions And Consequences E2. Jeff Mills – The Feeling Anything Is Possible F1. Jeff Mills – Dancing Shadows F2. Jeff Mills – Ganzfeld Experiments F3. Jeff Mills – The Spirit World |
Out Now: available at Axis Records International (bigwax.fr)
Note: Grab the vinyl if you can, a lush sounding (fantastic pressing) three piece set.
