Anders Ilar: Ludwijka (Extended Visit)

Anders Ilar, a veteran Swedish deep house/experimental producer, re-releases a previous vinyl-only EP with an additional 19-minute bonus track as his fifth full-length, Ludwijka (Extended Visit). Call it atmospheric minimalism smarted-up, with the shadow of deep house here and there. “Ludwijka VII” typifies Ilar’s sound – a full, slightly buzzy, layered electronica with loads of effects and found sounds – bird noises, cicada-like sounds, unidentifiable industrial effects — with an overall effect hovering between propulsive and, at times, quite menacing. But at his most open, Ilar can even sound a bit like Takagi Masakatsu: “Ludwijka I” is all soft synths and pitting beat, with jittering white noise in the background. “Ludwijka III” and “V” are more minimal in outlook — the former, all deep, outer-space tinkling and percussive effects; the latter, with tiny-sounding click-beats and never-ending synths over the top. Over the course of the disc, Ilar takes the listener on an often all-enveloping sonic journey that reunites past and future: incorporating recordings from his own childhood (singing, talking, playing piano) with forward-thinking production values. For those interested in minimalism on the experimental edge, Ludwijka (Extended Visit) provides much of interest, and worthy of the investment required to reap its benefits.