Nikita von Tiraspol - Iki Pasimatymo! (2023)

A longtime contributor of the label, ex-Cologne based / freshly Lithuania-relocated producer Nikita von Tiraspol returns to Noorden with his new cassette album, »Iki Pasimatymo!«, which is his way to say ›goodbye‹ to the city he called home for many years. Following up to his 2019-issued solo tape »Was Lucifer More Beautiful Than Adonis?«, this new effort from the German producer has us embarking on a multi-faceted ride down kaleidoscopic rapids of downtempo, jungle, folk and electronica narratives, all rolled into one luxuriant tableau of variably lit and emotionally versatile fluctuations.

The opener »Anschlag auf alle Kontinente« translates anguished vibrations into raucous bass menace billowing out from under quiet beds of watercoloured synth swashes, and across a grain of playfully tap-tapping drums. Thunder and aether as one. On the off-kilter and colourful »Interzone Inc.«, Nikita von Tiraspol shows his more experimental-leaning facet, whereas »Gratte-Ciel Oddity (ft. Leo)« evokes that of Bochum Welt’s most weightless, ambient-friendly sonic tapestries. Back to a proper cinematic vibe, »Talking Is Nonsense« is a poetic sequence of floating pads and shifting octaves – think a haiku of sorts, languidly dressed against a screen of vaporous abstraction and metronomic straightforwardness. Reminiscent of Eduard Artemyev’s haunted organic soundscapes, »Saldžių Sapnų« conjures up consoling images of nature through minimally re-arranged, patched-up field recording and strips of oddball drum programming, endowing it with a near esoteric rhythmic capacity.

An ambivalent slab of atmospheric lushness and proper intricate jungle patterns, »A Critic’s Opinion Makes People Change Their Minds« is pure bleached-out D’n’B on a down phase, its chiselled snares and hats cutting deep in the nostalgic flesh. Pushing the junglistic cursor a little further with »Random Friends«, Nikita von Tiraspol blows a fiery wind of 8-bit-like dementia and faded folk tropes as chopped-up UK style percussions hover over the battle field ominously. Sliced and diced to exhilarating – near Gabber-ish – effect, the snake-charming »Gilian Taylor« evokes Demdike Stare on a trip to the souk as seen through a polaroid lens. Pure dreaminess is on with the chimey »My Mind During Night«, where brittle bells peal joyfully as we depart for all-blue and peaceful ocean-like territories. »Thank You For The Time (ft. Eglé)« rounds off the package on a ghostly, beatless note, beautifully topping off Nikita von Tiraspol’s bright new soundtrack to everyone’s daily bag of small struggles and superlative bliss.