[Perlon]

Whoa, when did Perlon hit catalog number 86? I’m not sure which is harder to wrap your head around: that one of the defining labels of the past decade, which first helped define microhouse and the new wave of minimal, is as old as it is, or that a label with its pedigree is still around and kicking. Most really great labels can weather one or two shifts in the public’s taste, but often end up closing their doors soon afterwards. Others can have a great run for a couple of years before sacrificing their integrity to turn out schlock every few weeks. Perlon has succumbed to neither of those scenarios, and fourteen years after their founding their releases are still as highly anticipated as they always have been. This is due in large part to their ability to adapt with the times, while still keeping that Perlon sound record buyers love so much. Another large part of their continued success is their unparalleled A&R, recently drafting in Shackleton and, most crucially, Margaret Dygas. Dygas had only issued two releases before her breakout 12″ Invisible Circles, one of 2009′s finest slices of abstract techno, and she followed that up with her debut album How Do You Do? last year. Now she’s back on Perlon for a self-titled doublepack of extended, tripping house cuts.

The tracks here are the logical extension of those two releases, with the warped dance floor sensibilities of her last Perlon release mingling with some of the most abstract moments found on her debut album. “Missing You Less” is a warped examination of the reduced, percussive arrangements Dygas is known for. It’s one of the best cuts here, mainly for its upwards building arrangement and subtle textures, but also for its dance floor potential in the right hands. “Soon” is almost deep house, albeit imagined through Dygas’ peculiar lens, while “Pressed For Time” plays with acoustic percussion and circling melodies. The second slab of wax opens with the hypnotic and driving “Country Way Of Life,” which uses slowly evolving melodies and vocal snippets to lock the listener in an early morning daze. “41″ sounds almost like a peak-time techno banger given its surroundings, yet it’s an extremely reduced and spacious track; in fact, it’s that very spaciousness that Dygas imbues in all her tracks that make them so unique and engaging. “Ocbinh’s Groove” closes out the package with more delayed voices and undulating patterns which maintain the heady and slightly unsettling vibes. It can be hard for new artists to develop their own unique voice, but that’s a task Margaret Dygas has already accomplished on her first couple of releases. Margaret Dygas shows that her take on techno still has many sides left to explore — a captivating document of where her sound is right now and where it might be heading.

LWE’s 35th podcast was a swirling, dub-inflected set mixed together by avant-dance producer Margaret Dygas. Make sure it’s yours before it heads off to the archives this Friday, February 11th.

[Power Shovel Audio]

2009 was a big year for the experimental full length, with both Shackleton and the Moritz von Oswald Trio asserting that below the surface of dance floor oriented fare lay a considerable amount of free-form thought and restless cadence. For all of the impressive material that has been delivered in 2010 there doesn’t seem to have been any truly notable albums approaching the undertaking into such abstract electronic analysis. Actress and Mount Kimbie have both wowed with their respective albums and there have been a clutch of impressive beat-related efforts, but it feels like Margaret Dygas’ debut album on Japanese label Power Shovel Audio is one of the only long players in 2010 to explore the more cerebral side of the art.

The Polish-born producer has slowly but steadily risen to become a byword for vanguard techno, constantly exploring the boundaries of a minimal aesthetic largely through dance floor exegesis. Her ideas contained on the scant number of EPs she has released have always hinted at there being a much larger source to mine beneath the surface, so the emergence of a full length album from Dygas makes perfect sense. That said, How Do You Do? is at once not what you might expect from Dygas and then at the same time typical for this very reason. For an artist who genuinely sounds like they are pushing themselves with each new release the very fact that large portions of the album somewhat uncomfortable or alien is testament to the fact she is continuing to follow this work ethic. That doesn’t mean the album is necessarily an uneasy one; on the contrary, it feels like it is made to be listened to in one sitting. But it is an album that begs for you to do more than simply tune in and drop out.

The album came about when Power Shovel asked Dygas if she’d like to do the project and to base it on a book, film, or a true story. Dygas chose a book and has based her long player on Peoplewatching by British zoologist and ethologist Desmond Morris. It would be easy to forcibly mash the concepts of Morris’ expertise to Dygas’ productions, but in truth, a book about the rise of the most fearsome and destructive animal ever to grace the earth is not something that immediately springs to mind when listening to the album. There is undeniably a narrative tone to the album, be it the words of Morris himself in the opening stanza or the perpetual feeling of exploration. The most striking thing about How Do You Do is that none of the songs ever settle into a solid groove. They themselves are in constant evolution and evaluation, a result of adhering to the theme of the source inspiration. As the album progresses it does gradually unfold, making its way from the study to the club, though throughout feels cloaked in a great deal of theory. This makes How Do You Do a challenging listen in many respects. It’s almost as if a film score went out for the night and happened along one of Margaret’s unique DJ sets; at first tentatively sneaking peeks, toying with the idea of getting involved, then eventually dispensing with inhibitions and doing its best to merge with the soundtrack of the club.

Just three tracks in, “Baton Signals” hints at a taste of things to come with its structured 4/4 backbone, but it’s studied atmospherics rather than certifiable club business that color the track. “Maybe May Be,” though also very atmospheric is supported by a percussion forged groove, but as its tonal frequencies fold in upon each other and dissolve into other ideas it slips almost insidiously into another discourse on sonic spatiality with “You’re In My Shoes.” It is the sounds of Dygas at home or pottering about in her studio and as she toys with simple melodies we get a picture of her engaging with her music. It is perhaps the clearest picture of the artist taking influence from the reference material, itself a reflection on the very idea of studying people. “Barrier” hits one of the most distinctive marks on the album for the fact that it wears its Basic Channel influence on its sleeve, though Dygas neatly engineers the spatial, dubbed out homage with her own unique touch. “Pg 21″ is the first sign of a more kinetic momentum; the incidental keys sound like a concert pianist warming up but sampled and given some rough handed treatment by a surly drum machine. That virtuoso approach is a recurring theme throughout the record, be it the foray into broken beat territory with the weird step of “Salutations” or “Hidden From View” where Dygas reprises the accidental pianist role for the last proper track of the album.

How Do You Do never quite fully engages in a club sense and it’s hard not to want Dygas to provide this. Given that her previous output has dealt out heavy doses of very danceable fare (albeit in a distinctly bare bones manner) there is a tendency to want more of the same from the producer. What is on offer instead is a thoughtfully crafted and meticulously realized album that may incorporate elements of that club appeal but is concentrated on providing something to digest rather than simply something to react to.

Margaret Dygas has always chosen her releases wisely, sending out only the transmissions she’s sure will twist your melon. Her experimental sound sculptures, which pass through dance floors like ear-catching apparitions, have been hosted by Contexterrior, Non Standard Records and Perlon. On October 25th she’ll release her debut album, How Do You Do, on Power Shovel Audio, and this week’s download is a small piece of that much larger canvas although not part of the actual LP. “Reverse” is like spectral connective tissue, tender and pulsing but not of this world, only a gentle click and muffled clap for percussion. Our thanks to Margaret and Power Shovel Audio for sharing this fitting appetizer for her accomplished full length debut.

Download: Margaret Dygas, “Reverse”

19. Floating Points, “Love Me Like This”
[R2 Records] (buy)
Cultural trends are often about reevaluating the past, and one of the healthiest musical trends of the past couple years has been a reconsideration of the synth-pop, boogie-funk, and electro of the 1980s. It should no longer be viable to consider reference to that decade automatically pejorative (“That’s so eighties!”), with evidence like Floating Points’ “Love Me Like This” — perhaps the most auspicious debut of the past year — to the contrary. A sensitive deconstruction and reconstruction of Real II Reel’s raunchy boogie jam of the same name, the track is dreamy, funky, and spacey all at once. Unlike the least distinguished edits flooding the market, this one includes a generous dose of Londoner Samuel Shepherd’s own active ingredients, with a mutating bass line and jazzy synth accents brilliantly altering the internal structure of the funky guitar and soulful refrain. This is not a canny hack job riding a great sample source to success; it announces the arrival of a major talent. (Shuja Haider)

18. Ben Klock, “Subzero” [Ostgut Tonträger] (buy)
2009 was a year largely devoid of really good anthems. Sure, “Silent State” was beloved by many; Michel Cleis’ “La Mezcla” found its way into an absurd number of DJs’ crates, and many rushed to declare their love for Wax’s “No. 20002-B.” But when it came to big, instantly recognizable club tunes, few captured the imagination as thoroughly as Ben Klock’s sensational “Subzero, balancing subtle melodies and warehouse ready percussion like a man on a wire. Its tight pacing and surprisingly lush sound design build a palpable tension that feels like you’re standing on a precipice, unsure of your next move. And when the mammoth kicks land and those scything effects carve up the stereo spectrum, even the most timid clubber will want to pump their fists like the Techno Viking. So while other tracks can rightly claim to be popular, few have the kind of anthemic potential “Subzero” emits in its first minute. (Steve Mizek)

17. Shake, “Indagoo” [Morphine Records] (buy)
If techno was bebop, Anthony “Shake” Shakir would be Thelonious Monk. Even his titles — try “Mood Music for the Moody” — show a trace of Monkish wit. Shake is not yet as widely recognized as the music’s Birdlike originator and Dizzily active popularizer, but the upcoming Frictionalism compilation gives his status as reclusive, idiosyncratic genius a due upgrade. That doesn’t mean, however, that Anthony Shakir is content to rest on his laurels — his Levitate Venice EP is proof Shake is back with a vengeance. “Indagoo” is the most astonishing of its four tracks; the crooked lope of its bass line, the whimsical hornlike interjections, the gentle boogie of its piano vamp adding up to a sum that could have emerged from no other brain than Shakir’s. Though Shake has often remarked that he doesn’t really dance, “Indagoo” shows how ably — and how uniquely — he can make the rest of us do it. (Shuja Haider)

16. Margaret Dygas, “Invisible Circles” [Perlon] (buy)
Following the quite abstract and also rather enjoyable “See You Around” for Non Standard Productions, many wondered where Margaret Dygas’ wide-eyed experimental sound would take us next. Her answer, splitting the difference between the prickly functionalism of her Contexterrior debut and the woozy esoterica wafting from her NSP 12″, arrived in a Perlon sleeve. The disorienting dirge “Invisible Circles” keeps DJs and dancers are kept on their toes with metallic rhythms meted in unusual patterns and pulse-quickening tone stabs. These alone could catch ears; but when heard amid the cacophony of knuckle-cracking snare bursts, gritty, disembodied voices bleeding into the mix and generous dollops of reverb, listeners are mentally transported to the scene of an occult sacrifice ceremony. It’s the kind of track you’d drop if you wanted to shake a dance floor from its whatever-fueled daze. Dygas has shown a propensity towards defying and exceeding expectations with each new release, and with the ferocious “Invisible Circles” she’s confirmed her most predictable trait is finding unforeseen, enjoyable ways to flex listeners’ heads. (Anton Kipfel)

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Margaret Dygas’ position as an avant garde techno producer has been achieved with only three proper releases to her name but backed up by years of formidable DJ sets around the world. Born in Poland, she spent her formative teenage years growing up in America and now, like so many other dance music producers, lives in Berlin. Her exquisitely executed tracks have been released on Contexterrior, Non Standard Productions and Perlon, each showing a progression in her abilities and slowly revealing a distinctive type of sound. LWE hoped to learn much more about the budding artist in our interview but it turns out that Miss Dygas prefers to let her music do the majority of her talking. Read on for the words we managed to glean out of her and check the stunning podcast after the interview for a more revealing glimpse into the world of Margaret Dygas.

LWE Podcast 35: Margaret Dygas (78:17)

Tracklist:

01. Daniel Stefanik, “Reactivity 8″ [Statik Entertainment]
02. Cirkel, “Cirkel003.1″ [Cirkel]
03. Murmur, “Barrier” [Meanwhile]
04. Intrusion ft. Paul St. Hilaire, “Angel Version” [Intrusion]
05. Luke Hess, “Reel Life” (cv313 Dimensional Space Mix) [Echocord]
06. Bernd Maus, “Tell Me” [Statik Entertainment]
07. DJ Joey Anderson, “Oval” [Strength Music]
08. Terrence Dixon, “Emergency” [Meakusma]
09. Peter F. Spiess, “Wortkarg” [Adjunct]
10. Moritz Von Oswald Trio, “Pattern 3″ [Honest Jon's Records]
11. Baby Ford, “Westway” [Autoreply Music]
12. Avus, “Boute Diabolique” [Stolen Moments]
13. Theorem vs. Stewart Walker, “Too Distant Images” [M_nus]

Judging by your bio you’ve done lots of moving around in your life from a young age. Musically did this help you discover a lot of different types of music?

Sure, traveling helped a lot, but I know I’ve only scratched the surface so far.

Having experienced the laid back lifestyle of California, the club-kids era of New York, as well as living in London and Berlin, what place do you feel has shaped you the most, both creatively and as a person? And are the sounds that you assimilated with in those different parts of your life and love of music creeping in to your current productions?

Every place left a mark in different ways. If I have to point a finger, it would be New York. I loved that place! Amazing times with lots of great memories, as with London and Berlin. There are very specific sounds that remind me of New York, for example, but I’m not sure if they are creeping in to my current productions. I will check it out.

You’re known for having a distinct sound of your own. A DJ’s sound is one that is always evolving but also there is a moment when it clicks for them. When did you think to yourself that you’d found a unique sound and what were you doing at that time in your life?

I don’t look for a specific “sound” as such, so it’s very nice to hear that people think I have a unique sound.

What has been your most enjoyable residencies to date?

Panorama Bar, a very, very special place for me!

Where did you get the vocal samples from for “Invisible Circles”?

From an Internet radio station.

Your productions have a very free form element to them. Rather than regular floor tracks which tend to be more predictable with their arrangements to the point of knowing when the bass/kick/synth is going to come in etc, how do you write and sequence your tracks so that they are cohesive and resolve themselves?

I don’t have a “formula” as far as arrangement. Listening to it over and over and over again (with some tea breaks in between) helps to see if something is annoying or doesn’t belong. I keep playing around until it feels comfortable somehow — and in a way, because it’s never really finished, or am I alone on this one?

You have spent a good many years based in London and are now residing in Berlin. What do you feel are the differences in the working patterns of producers and DJs and how have you operated in each city?

Some have studios at home, some like to go to another location to make noises.I would guess there are quite a few night birds around here, like myself. I don’t know the patterns and operations enough of those two cities to compare.

What are the pros and cons of living as a DJ/producer in each city?

That “cons” can be “pros” and sometimes “pros” may be “cons.”

Tobias Freund has helped out on a couple of your releases with some mixing and production. How did you two meet? What did he bring or unlock in each track he helped out on?

I met him at a party in Berlin. Tobias helped me with pre-mastering and levels in general. Made the sound warmer, more detailed. [He has a] very cool pair of ears.

Your output so far is somewhat teasing to those who are encountering your music. Can we expect more frequent releases from you soon?

I’m sweatin’ ova’ here, workin’ ova’ time. There will be something on Power Shovel Audio, in the spring.

What can we expect from you next year?

Maybe some gray hair?! Wishing you all lots of warm vibes out there! Give earth a kiss!

LWE Podcast 35: Margaret Dygas (78:17)

01. Toby Tobias, “In Your Eyes” (Tensnake remix)
[REKIDS] (buy)
I think it’s fair to say Hamburg’s Tensnake has been on a roll for the last year or so. Following on his incredible “In the End (I Want You to Cry)” for Running Back, Tensnake reshapes Toby Tobias’ “In Your Eyes” to fit his neon-lit disco template. Full of popping bass lines, colorful whooshes and pitched down vocals, all heard through a fluttering delay, the tune is instantly recognizable as a Tensnake production and benefits great from his lighthearted moods. Here’s hoping he can find it in himself to keep the ball of fine releases rolling.

02. John Tejada, “Liquid Mirror”
[Palette Recordings] (buy)
John Tejada offers a good example of producers who stay sharp in spite of their prolific release schedule with the latest single for his Palette Recordings, “Vertex.” Never resting too long on one style or set of sounds, the EP contrasts the biting impact of the jagged title cut with the adventurous and curvy “Liquid Mirror.” Tejada wraps listeners in a web spun by a finely tweaked arpeggio, allowing a beveled bass line to prod them onto a dance floor drizzled with sparkling leads. Tuneful and moving without lapsing into excess, “Liquid Mirror” is as much a full blown song as a DJ’s instrument.

03. Margaret Dygas, “Frankly”
[Perlon] (buy)
Only three releases into her production career, Margaret Dygas has quickly earned a reputation as one of techno’s most unconfined producers. Her “Invisible Circles” 12″ for Perlon will only add to that stature: a bold two tracker whose title track sketches out a haunting outline of dubstep in an ectoplasmic form, and a more functional yet still wide-eyed B side, “Frankly.” Palpable dread hovers like a storm cloud over impeccably programmed percussion as the lengthy track winds it way through flamenco guitar motifs, sneering trumpet licks and a patchwork of unearthed souls. If her current trajectory holds, Dygas will soon join Pronsato and Villalobos on the cusp of outré techno.

04. James Ruskin, “Sabre”
[Blueprint] (buy)
Many artists who stay in the game long enough find their work comes back into fashion as successive new generations learn about the old. London’s James Ruskin, founder of the Blueprint label, has watched the tide come and go since 1991; and these days the style of gruff, pounding techno he’s been caning ever since has returned to prominence. DJs have taken note of his new O/V/R project with Karl O’Connor, though his solo “Sabre/Massk” EP deserves an even closer look. “Sabre” demonstrates the completeness of Ruskin’s command of his gear, flinging a thrumming sample around the stereo channels before constraining it in a cage of stony kicks and astringent percussion. It’s the sort of sound design we’ve come to expect from Marcel Dettmann and Norman Nodge with fewer restrictions. Not bad for scene veteran, eh?

05. Jimpster, “Just the Kind of Girl”
[Freerange Records] (buy)
Although Freerange Records’ releases and his remixes are legion, Jimpster tends to be rather selective about his solo work. This usually means his tunes are worth hearing and that DJs and fans alike chime in with support. Perhaps anticipating a low key reception, Jimpster named his latest “Sleeper” and watched the EP slide under the radar. This is a shame in our estimation, not least because B side “Just The Kind of Girl” is both at home in the current milieu and a head above its peers. A clipped horn ostinato pierces, then reverberates in aquamarine tone pools coating the floor, culminating in moody breakdowns and fiercer riffs. So adept is Jimpster at developing a sublime atmosphere that we’re willing to overlook the tortured vocals crowing the title in the latter half. Certainly not one to sleep on.

06. Pépé Bradock, “Path of Most Resistance” [Atavisme] (buy)
07. Bsmnt City Anymle Kontrol, “Perfekt Sin”
[Wild Oats] (buy)
08. Rndm, “Third Hand Smoke” [Laid] (buy)
09. Isolée, “Albacares” [Mule Electronic] (buy)
10. Audio Werner, “Dito” [Minibar] (buy)

Staff Charts:

Per Bojsen-Moller:

01. Mount Kimbie, “Sketch On Glass” [Hotflush Recordings]
02. Margaret Dygas, “Invisible Circles” [Perlon]
03. Ben Klock, “One Remixes” [Ostgut Ton]
04. Lusine, Two Dots [Ghostly International]
05. Pearson Sound, “PLSN” [Hessle Audio]
06. Steinhoff & Hammouda, “Touch” [Smallville Records]
07. Ramadanman, “Revenue” [2nd Drop Records]
08. Nosaj Thing, “Drift” [disques corde]
09. Langenberg, “Alternate Rhythm” [Dessous Recordings]
10. Bodycode, Immune [Spectral Sound]

Shuja Haider:

01. Pépé Bradock, “Path of Most Resistance” [Atavisme]
02. Rick Wade, “Ricky’s Groove” [Laid]
03. Steel an’ Skin, “Afro Punk Reggae Dub” [Honest Jon's Records]
04. Kinoeye, “Mean Old World” [W.T. Records]
05. Dplay, “Tschaka” [Running Back]
06. Bsmnt City Anymle Kontrol, “Perfekt Sin” [Wild Oats]
07. Tony Lionni, “Aurora” [Wave Music]
08. Walter Jones, “Living Without Your Love” [DFA]
09. Margaret Dygas, “Frankly” [Perlon]
10. Solomun, “Carnivale” [Phil e]

Anton Kipfel:

01. John Roberts, “Maroon” [Dial]
02. Roman Flügel, “Discofiasco” [Turbo]
03. Pépé Bradock, “Path of Most Resistance” [Atavisme]
04. Kinoeye, “Mean Old World” [W.T. Records]
05. Brackles, “Get A Job” [Apple Pips]
06. Moritz Von Oswald Trio, Vertical Ascent [Honest Jon's Records]
07. Unknown Artist, “Point and Gaze” [Thriller]
08. Precious System, “Voice from Planet Love” [Running Back]
09. Bodycode, “Imitation Lover” [Spectral Sound]
10. Discovery, LP [XL Recordings]

Kuri Kondrak:

01. Patrice Scott, “Excursions” [Sistrum Recordings]
02. Brawther, “Endless” (Ultra Deep Mix) [Balance Alliance]
03. Walter Jones, “Living Without Your Love” [DFA]
04. Scott Grooves, “Detroit 808″ [Natural Midi]
05. Denny Trajkov, “From Chicago to Detroit” [Logos Recordings]
06. Kinoeye, “Mean Old World” [W.T. Records]
07. Jeroen Search, “Earth” [Figure SPC]
08. Shawn Snell, “Forces” (DJ 3000 12inch mix) [Motech]
09. Memory Foundation, “Words” [Yore]
10. Peverelist, Junktion (Shed remix) [Tectonic]

Will Lynch:

01. Margaret Dygas, “Invisible Circles” [Perlon]
02. Alan1, “Sniff Them” [Final Frontier]
03. Baaz, “Peeps” [Quintessentials]
04. Daze Maxim, “Organ Message” [Hello? Repeat]
05. Joss Moog, “Drivin’ On Up” [Robsoul Recordings]
06. The Zohar, “Fingers and Clay” [Quintessentials]
07. Bruno Pronsato, “The Make Up The Break Up” [Thesongsays]
08. Linkwood Family, “Miles Away” (Intrusion Sunrise Dub)
[Firecracker Recordings]
09. Scott Grooves, “Classic 909″ (Panther Mix) [Natural Midi]
10. Kiki, “Good Voodoo” (Visionquest remix) [Bpitch Control]

Chris Miller:

01. Pearson Sound, “Wad” [Hessle Audio]
02. Rndm, “Third Hand Smoke” [Laid]
03. Ramadanman & Appleblim, “Justify” [Apple Pips]
04. Moritz Von Oswald Trio, Vertical Ascent [Honest Jon's Records]
05. Moderat, “Rusty Nails” (Shackleton remix) [50 Weapons]
06. Marcel Fengler, “Twisted Bleach” [Ostgut Ton]
07. Frozen Border, “Frozen Border 03″ [Frozen Border]
08. Thomas Brinkmann, “Isch” (Soulphiction Remisch) [Curle Petite]
09. Peter Van Hoesen, “Strikethrough” [Morse]
10. Planetary Assault Systems, “Om the Def” [Ostgut Ton]

[Perlon]

Her first two releases showcased a producer with a penchant for oblique, compelling electronic arrangements. The third finds Margaret Dygas hitching up her dance floor britches while keeping the thrilling patchwork of ideas inherent from her beginnings. Now residing in Berlin, Dygas has perhaps drawn on inspiration garnered from playing in the clubs there for this late night minimal two tracker. “Invisible Circles” creates immediate atmosphere through the sound of a record needle picking up background ambience as it travels its circuitous journey. When it picks up steam the track revolves around heavily accented, palm slapped drum skins with a demented, undecipherable, pitch-skewed commentary adding a maniacal edge. Further layers of percussion echo and decay in the mix, heightening the sense of unhinged fervor created by the incoherent voices. “Invisible Circles” is one of those tracks that completely casts you adrift in a club, depriving you of spatial awareness and messing with your ears with its ambiguous, distorted vocals.

“Frankly” is almost entirely at odds with its predecessor. Whereas “Invisible Circles” was a relatively barren affair, “Frankly” is plumped up with a myriad of sounds, from the obvious strummed guitar and muted jazz horns to the barely noticeable ringing of bicycle bells, birds chirping and trains squealing to a halt. The muffled horns breathing through the first part of the track are themselves at odds with the use of guitar, which is introduced later on, but Dygas somehow makes these disparate elements work together. The strummed, acoustic licks veer perilously close to the edge of cheesy abandon, but are roped in before they are allowed to develop any further. The compressed, punchy arrangements give “Frankly” a bristling, energetic quality while the incidental noises and lighthearted feel of the melodies contrast against the brooding lower frequencies. Dygas’ Perlon debut highlights a skillful kinship with Baby Ford and Ricardo at their best and hopefully marks the beginning of a more steady stream of releases from this extraordinary talent.

[Non Standard Productions]

For a producer who seems enthralled with a quintessential set of musicians and entertainers (as evinced by her top Myspace friends), Margaret Dygas’ latest release could hardly be further from the norms and standards of dance music. The Polish producer’s thorny and compellingly off-kilter debut for Contexterrior hinted at experimental instincts, and “See You Around” jumps into the deep end of abstract electronics without looking back. Aided in the studio by the venerable Tobias Freund, Dygas explores the farthest reaches of what can still be called dance music with a confidence uncommon in many fledgling producers. Fittingly, “See You Around” is released on Non Standard Productions, Freund’s label with Max Loderbauer, one outlet where unconventional sounds are the standard.

Dispensing almost entirely with dance floor functionality, Dygas regards rhythm as just one facet of her oddly textured works. The title track busts off snare hits like haphazard Glock shots, its kick drum heart beating in syncopated clusters, while “37 Minutes to 7″ is tapped out as methodical morse code in more dependable intervals. But the leading roles go to an endlessly rotating cast of disparate sounds: distorted voices sloshing and sinking, winsome pads, strangled, plucked and abused guitar strings, random ticks and tucks, each leapfrogging each other for prime positions in “See You Around.” The more orderly “37 Minutes to 7″ is pounded out in industrial timbres of resonant clangs and woozy clinks, hovering drones ensuring its elements are kept moving. Taken together, “See You Around” is something of an acid test, yielding varying degrees of disquiet and enjoyment depending on the listener’s taste for IDM-like abstraction. But for any producer, let alone one with only one previous release, music this creative is an accomplishment and perhaps indicative of a bright and unconvential future. Keep your eyes and ears on Margaret Dygas.