Staccato Signals is easily Ben Chatwin's richest, most orchestrated album to date. Accompanied by a string quartet as well as a horn player, the British composer continues to meld tense, creeping electronics with acoustic tones, creating an ominous sound which lives and breathes, fully engulfing the listener. While Staccato Signals contains similar sounds and moods as previous Chatwin releases, there's a heightened sense of clarity to this one. Without being too high up in the mix, the strings seem to subtly jump out of the speakers, increasing the cinematic urgency. Bursts of distortion sting like tiny electronic razor cuts, providing jolts of adrenaline. On tracks like "Hound Point," acoustic plucks meet heartbeat-like rhythms, slowly morphing into different forms while retaining the foreboding mood. Beautiful, stunning work.
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