Traversing across a varied electronic landscape fond of striking tonal shifts, The Algorithm Isn’t Working is a riveting production from Milwaukee-based artist Thane. The release embraces Thane’s take on a number of nostalgic electronic scenes, from UK garage and drum and bass to rave and pirate radio.
The album is especially impressive in its eclectic rhythmic accompaniments, seamlessly providing the backbone to a wide array of synths, vocal samples, and other additions. Opener “Z1ON” is enjoyably representative of such, with steady percussion accompanying the initial impassioned gospel-y vocal samples and reflective keys. An eerie synth pad embrace builds into a bustling percussive fervency as higher-pitched strings coalesce into buzzing synth work and exhilarating vocal upticks.
The energized, club-friendly bounce of “THANE-MAX 5000” stirs with its hopped-up start and finish, enamoring with a spacey lushness at the mid-point, for a breath of air. The album is largely fast-paced and infectious, with tracks like “Z1ON” and “THANE-MAX 2000” showing precisely how. Still, efforts like “BRB (Scrolling)” and several mid-track interludes also emphasize spacious soundscapes with beautiful contrasts. The Algorithm Isn’t Working is a fully satiating listening experience with an eclectic overall composure.
The Algorithm Isn’t Working is the follow-up to Thane’s acclaimed 2016 album Topia, which featured appearances from artists like Anderson .Paak and BJ The Chicago Kid.
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“Z10N” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of February 2023’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup. The submitter accepted our content-based offer, which included financial compensation for our time writing, editing, and publishing this article.