Coming four years after his debut full-length for Soma,
Mångata, this second album from Glaswegian
Simon Stokes sees his propensity for unusual titles continue. Despite its exoticism, "Narisshu" simply means "nourish" in English, rendered as though in Japanese kana transliterated back into the Roman alphabet. It's an apt title, though, as this is an album as warm and comforting as a nice bowl of soup. A love letter to classic '90s ambient techno and IDM, it retains the drum'n'bass and broken beat influences of
Mångata on some tracks, but leaves room to breathe with soothing, beatless pieces which immerse you in a warm wash of sound, such as the opener "San." "There" segues swiftly into "Valdo," which starts to build slowly with a flickering, crackling synth line and a low-tempo broken beat before the pulsing, shuffling "After Velvet" takes things up a notch. The first four pieces form a suite of sorts; on the vinyl, they are presented together as one track. They set a template later followed by some of the tracks on the second half of the record: a warm, beatless intro is gradually infiltrated by skittering, muffled, insectoid beats lurking at the edges before breaking out into a classic old-school drum pattern. "Field Dub" and "Sapiens" have a sub-aquatic feel, with warm currents of decayed synth pads buoying the listener before the beats come sharply into focus. "Riot Faux Pas" has a hushed, religious aura as of a church organ droning. In between are the lush, beatless "MXT10"; the title track, which is pure, old-school Warp-style IDM; and the singles "6EQUJ5" and "Blöta" (Swedish for "Soak"). With their harder kicks, these two are easily the most floor-focused tracks on the record, but they're not bangers by any means. The latter keeps up a mesmerizing ambient drone throughout the whole thing, while a funky, fluttering beat and arpeggiating synth lines float on top. The album fades out as it began with the soporific "Last," floating in an ocean of tranquility. This is a great album from an underrated talent, one of the most interesting acts to use drum'n'bass, broken beat, and drone influences that completely envelop the listener. It makes for a super-soothing night-time headphone listen.