Defective AI - A Book of Coherent Warnings (2019)

With soft synths accessible to all with just a few mouse clicks and a BitTorrent client and physical synthesizers of all shapes and sizes now becoming a regular fixture of home recording studios the world over, it’s easier than ever for dilettantes and Stranger Things fans to attempt to make the Tubular Bells of their dreams. But the dirty truth of it all is that many will pack your guest bedroom with Euroracks and your hard drives with Spectrasonics gear, but few will have the talent and innate skills to wrench something truly special out of it.

That’s what makes Defective AI, the latest release from audio engineer extraordinaire and member of Krautrock slammers Møtrik Dave Fulton, such a rare delight. Over the course of two lengthy tracks, Fulton plays the role of Charon, welcoming you on board a sturdy vessel that he then navigates across the often choppy waters of the electronic music world. He’s a sure hand at the wheel, coaxing out unassuming yet unforgettable melodies and heady drones from his array of instruments and taking you on a journey filled with smooth, surprising transitions and haunting Vocoder-ed vocals.

Your natural inclination will likely be to attempt to slot this into any one of a dozen genre categories: New Age, ambient, dream-pop, vaporgaze, etc., etc., ad infinitum. Anyone of them will likely make sense. But I challenge you instead to take Defective AI on its own terms, without attempting to link it to the descriptors and signifiers that may pop in your head as it sweeps you ever forward. Clear some space in your mind and see what other ideas, images, and spirits in conjures up. I promise you, it will leave you captivated and exhilarated