Phexioenesystems - Empty Space Symbols

 Released: October 31

Working under his moniker of Phexioenesystems, abstract composer Dominic Thurgood presents us with a beautiful mixed bag of an album that feels like otherwise random odds and ends compiled together into a coherent collection. The pure eclectic nature of the compositions is quite stunning as they form layers upon layers that manage to exist in their own space and within the constraints of the composition. For example, “Apology (SP)” seems to be a bit of squeaky noise at first. But as the composition develops, it blossoms into this rich medley of halfway tonal ambient and an incomplete melodies. There’s a recurring flourish in the track that feels like just extra ear candy but manages to establish itself as a fleshed out motif within the composition. It’s some truly marvelous work. 

The variety of noises, bleeps, bloops, pings, and pops is wild but it’s really just the manner in which they are tied together that makes the album. They come together complementarily enough, but there’s a certain space and distance between all of the disparate parts in each track. It’s an incredibly spacious experience as you don’t so much hear the pieces moving around you, but rather you feel them in your peripheries. Small bits of sound twinkle past your ears as light bass thump sits just below your chin to provide an unusual grounding element on tracks like “Twin Fog” and “Davvisámegiella.” The depth of the compositions are amazing and intricate and the sound processing is wonderful as well in that it captures the subtleties of the sounds excellently.