Lakker's third R&S full-length finds the Berlin-based Irish duo rejuvenated after 2016's brittle, barren
Struggle & Emerge and several solo releases from both members.
Época incorporates a wider range of influences than past
Lakker releases; the duo acknowledge inspirations such as
John Cage's prepared piano techniques and the forward-thinking Ugandan label Nyege Nyege Tapes. They also branch out by incorporating acoustic instrumentation, including violin, guitar, and bodhrán (an Irish frame drum), as well as their own voices. Much of the album is still built around the rough, crunchy beats
Lakker have become known for, but the various string and percussion instruments add a much more fragile, vulnerable feel to the music. For the most part, the results are captivating. "100 Bar" melds chattering, shuffling IDM beats to jittery metallic tones which sound like a hammered dulcimer. "Nest" scatters distorted plucks and abrasive clicks around ghostly moaning and a dissolved dub bassline, and "A Juggling of Numbers" seems to feature
Konono-like electric thumb piano along with its racing beats. The duo flirt with tense, apocalyptic pop on "Dropped Shoulders," which nearly resembles a soundclash between
Grumbling Fur and
Emptyset.
Época seems to lose a bit of momentum with the murky "Body from the Water," but the searing, piledriving noise track "Discourage It All" provides a jolt of nightmare fuel at the album's conclusion.
Lakker have seemingly reinvented themselves with every album, so it's no surprise that they're trying something new here, but
Época is certainly the most human they've ever sounded. ~ Paul Simpson