More Proof

06 January 2009

Larry Heard: 25 Years From Alpha

Larry Heard‘s latest A-side, the Kraftwerk-tinged, future-funk 25 Years From Alpha, continues along the Chicago legend’s recent musical trajectory towards much sparser, more minimal production.

This is hardly a surprise — Heard has always preferred jazzy sophistication to high-jackin’ beats, but this latest slab is so scant and abstract, playing it feels a bit like taking a Rorschach test: any attempt at a description reveals more about the listener than the record itself. Some hear an overly longwinded retroist slice of cheese, others hear a subtle, emotional ballad that incorporates (rather than simply references) elements from 25 years of electronic music.

Whatever your feeling towards it, praise be to Heard for never being afraid to mind-fuck his audience.

Larry Heard - 25 Years From Alpha MP3