Inspired by
Brion Gysin and
William S. Burroughs' flickering Dreamachine -- a stroboscopic device meant to be looked at with eyes closed -- producer Can Oral, aka
Khan, returned to experimental techno business with his 2014 release
The Enlightenment Machine, a conceptual piece more likely to take the listener to sleepy town than a higher plane. Odd thing is, for an album so inspired by reaching altered states, this slow roller is surprisingly pop and plain with "You Like Like I Like," "Everybody is a Bell," and "Pick A Point" ("... and you will be my destination") all coming off as standard songs, just delivered at a sluggish pace. Lyrics stick with the theme of transformation and track titles like "Message In A Coke Bottle" and "The End (Will Be Pretty)" recall the cheeky
Khan of yore (he setup an honest-to-gosh telephone sex line for his 1999 release
1-900-Get-Khan). Still, instead of enlightenment or edgy music, this one only offers an endurance test with very few hooks or brave ideas to latch onto. [
Enlightenment Machine was also released on LP.] ~ David Jeffries