Sangam – Departure
8.15.18 by Ryan Masteller

UK drone and minimal electronic artist Sangam lays it on thick with “Departure,” an “Arcane Environment of Pure Emotion [sic],” the caps sic’d because they’re unnecessary in a normal setting and are only used because they’re in service of the arcane environment of pure emotion. For emphasis. Emphasized, because if you look Sangam’s way, if you even glance in Sangam’s direction, you’re caught, hooked, enthralled by his psychic glare and incapable of extraction until he decides to turn his attention elsewhere … or the tape ends. And oh – “Departure” ends. Does it EVER end.

I mean, I think it does, but I’m not sure – it could go on forever, or it could just be doing its auto-reverse thingy while I’m caught up in its trance. This trance of thick, vaporous mood, total imminent dusk at all times, total perpetual dusk thereafter, and mostly dusky dusk dusk when it’s dusky dusk dusk out. See? I can’t even be coherent anymore. I’ve got Sangam on the brain. But my silliness only serves to contrast starkly the dense beauty “Departure” has in store for you, it’s crackling passages and violet wavelengths. It’s a mesmerizer, ready for a deep dive if your mind is ready. Is it ready?

Then there it is, the ending, the plasmic star-core reaction of a finale by way of far-off twinkling galactic lights … which is basically the vibe of the whole tape, so should we call it even-keeled? We sure could. Plus I can’t tell if that was the ending anyway, what with the auto-reverse dealy I mentioned above.

“Depature” comes in a cassette edition of 75 from Aescape Sounds. If you haven’t already taken seriously every single recommendation I’ve ever given, you should start now, and then punish yourself for not listening to me in the first place.