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Fans of advanced-post-industrial electronica, pay attention to this please! If you are fond of ‘90s based, British-sired, Aphex Twin style, and keen on Architect and Empusae, you shouldn’t miss this guy from Chicago. Surachai is a technological audio “freak” who makes intense and provocative music, claiming to be a full-ensemble black-metal outfit to solo-synthesize explorations that have an avant-garde fearlessness. A professional sound designer, mixer, and composer. Heavy stuff! Truth is, it is obvious that there is a trained man at the console, using a DAW, inserting analogs and who punishes himself in the mix. Truth is also, this person has a background in music that is easily understood, from any random track you choose to listen to.

His first 3 releases are cold Scadi black-metal (‘Plague Diagram‘-2011, ‘To No Avail‘-2011, ‘Embraced‘-2013) L.P.s, hosting guests like A. Markuszewski (Lord Mantis, Avichi) and Nordvargr (the black-metal, industrial, dark-ambient artist). Then he releases his electronic exercises, full of anticipated tension, rushing to tell the world what will follow next. Next is ‘Instinct And Memory‘, released earlier in spring. A heretic black-metal cover, heretic electronic music, out of the soul of a dedicated engineer who introduces himself (yes, again), and challenges the rest of the genre, being a slave to the grind, and putting himself at our disposal. A very absorbing listening, which makes the audience actually feel his touch on the knobs, faders, automations and other controls, talent and musical background included, in a spooky atmosphere. Break beats groove the down tempo when needed, as effects and automated LFO’s slap whatever needs to be slapped, as long as dark, menacing and kinky synths occur to the artist at the right in-time-transcendence. ‘Instinct And Memory‘ is a blasting release that needs attention. Music from cyborgs in a demented world, with a human heart. Post Industrial Advanced Electronica that signifies the composing root that very few “freaks” make, and even fewer follow. Perish in algorithms, in generators and groove like blood! You can have it on 180g vinyl and digital formats…

Mike Dimitriou