Liminal
Infectious/Liberator
Liminal is a shape-shifting meditation on loneliness and disconnection. Dense, raw and clean, it almost sounds like something produced by Sohn’s evil twin. Almost – while this album similarly draws on electronica, post-dub and gritty post-rock, it doesn’t quite sound like anything else.
Formed by Grammy-nominated producer and DJ Adam Freeland, Steve Nalepa (an artist, composer and professor) and Australia’s own Ry X, the collaboration’s debut is, as expected, musically ambitious. But rather than crowding out the sound with their respective talents, The Acid keep everything minimalistic. It is seamlessly cohesive, if a little ambiguous.
Creeper is a dark and chilling track that explores obsessive and addictive tendencies of infatuation. With lyrics delivered at a near whisper, complete with heavy breathing, it feels as though Ry X is standing right behind you. Recently released Basic Instinct is filled out with acoustic guitar, as the lyric ‘Coming up for air’ repeats delicately – sparse, indie electronica at its best. The soft, slicing vocals on Clean are opposite to distorted Red. Other tracks like Veda and Tumbling Lights are harder to get into.
Liminal creates an aesthetic The Acid clearly thrive in. Listeners have to meet them halfway – but it’s worth it.
EMILY MELLER
