Vladislav Delay - Visa (2014)

Following the frenetic, rhythmic experiments of the Ripatti 12” series, Vladislav Delay returns with his first ambient album in over a decade. ‘Visa’ is a thing of immense, absorbing beauty - harking back to his classic albums for Chain reaction and Mille Plateaux, extending 6 longform pieces over an hour of heady dub reductions. And in the fine tradition of some of the best albums, ‘Visa’ was borne out of serendipity - Ripatti was denied entry to the United States and was forced to cancel an entire tour. Suddenly left with unhindered time and a surplus of creative energy, he produced this material in a span of just two weeks. As he explains: “a valve broke open... and I collected what came out the pipes.” ‘Visa’ is complex yet immersive - never fading into the background, instead building layered soundscapes that shift and build before switching direction, changing focus. It’s a technique that Ripatti has crafted and honed over the years - almost 20 years in fact since his shocking ‘The Kind Of Blue’ debut for his own Huume imprint, and here once again subtly augmented via industrial noises and dream-like melodic loops. Made almost entirely with analog hardware, the album was designed to be listened to at high volume and in full detail - and is perhaps the most substantial and rewarding Delay release since 'Demo(n) Tracks’ over a decade ago...