Jester, 2002
I never really understood the term “micro-sound,” but if it’s to be applied anywhere, it should be here. There’s space between Upland’s soft clicks. But there’s also melody embedded within the rhythms. On “Flex,” panning clatterings lead right into “Twin Gap,” its silences almost as interesting as its percussion and bass. “Root” is more ephemeral, with echoey swoops that tend to be over-used these days. Thankfully “Block” returns to the clicking rhythms and deep bass Upland’s best at. Finally, “Marshgate” offers beautiful bass note changes, timed to make best use of busy, non-repetitive beats.
Despite the minor chords and alien ticks, there’s something pleasingly light about this album. While many clicks-and-cuts-style releases are overly complex, this LP is refreshingly pure.