Formerly known as 59 Perlen, Swiss artist Matthias Rosenkranz has reinvented himself as the mononymic Rosenkranz for the debut EP “One”. This change in direction sees the composer and producer lean into ambient and textural songs that feel like they are teeming with life; gorgeous synthetic tones, subtle rhythmic bass lines, and gentle percussion all merge to create pieces that drift and roam through beautiful soundscapes coloured by tape hiss and auditory anomalies.  

The songs here are titled “One”, “Two”, “Three” and “Four”, corresponding to their sequencing on the EP. Perhaps not the most creative titling choices, but the music presented here has no such shortcoming, with Rosenkranz reining in pieces that perennially feel as though they are on an upward trajectory; rising intensity and dynamic counterplay invariably lead towards the lush and subdued. If “One” is driven by rhythm, then “Two” is informed by the birdsong that introduces the track, offering a moment of respite and contemplation through unbounded structures that evolve into dreamlike states of wandering emotion. “Three” is where things get darker, grittier, and more visceral, Rosenkranz unafraid of investigating the darker corners of his musical worlds with acidic strikes and horror-moviesque sound design; his synthetic machines resembling creatures scrambling through the darkness of the earth, attempting to reach the sun but never given the chance, or perhaps they were but decided to stay in the shadows. The result is equally unsettling and comforting, mirroring the peace that comes from resigning yourself to the underworld. “Four” closes the collection somewhere between the beauty of “One” and the darkness of “Three,” as lush tones battle more sinister intentions, neither truly dominating the other; a kind of sonic thermocline.

“One” by Rosenkranz is a sonically rich and investigative piece of experimental music-making where the confluence of pretty vibrations and lucidly dark tones envelop the listener in their absorbing and rousing contradictions.  

★★★★