Miles Tilmann: “Xenon”

Consumers Research and Development, 2006

This single from Tilmann’s upcoming Yes and No album features three mixes of the title track plus two other cuts. First up is an edit. Charming synthesizer-driven electro builds to a dramatic, melodic peak, then breaks down. The “Flame” mix is a percussive version. Think of it as bonus beats. “Bots” is a bit more funky, with a pulsing bassline and flittering electronics. It strikes me as very eighties. At two minutes, it’s also way too short. “Wrong Move” is more atonal, with clusters of bleeps over a chunky beat. Finally, “Xenon (Dust)” is a dub version with ambient sections, clicky beats, and bells. This is a sweet little EP. It ought to appeal to electro and IDM fans alike, with a beat for dancing, retro robotic sounds, and enough melody and experimentation to keep it all interesting.