Adi “Blingley” Saikkonen – I Just Like Magnets
Had anyone ever told me you could mix glitchy IDM and funk in an interesting and varied manner, I probably would have reported them to the NSA. While the government would probably reject my admission on the grounds that it conflicts with their ongoing investigation of me, the spokesperson would most likely belittle me and maniacally laugh in my face at the mere concept. Though, like the brilliant Blind Idiot God and their marvelous fusion of space rock, reggae and hardcore; if done with respect, even the most outlandish fusions can produce fascinating results.
Such is the case on Adi “Blingley” Saikkone’s I Just Like Magnets. Even though for their time the dubstep conventions were cliché, they add a lot of substance to the brilliant opener Magnets = Friends. Granulitchilicious is as adventurous as its title; swifting synths, erratic dubs and maniacal wobbly basses take turns at stealing the listener’s attention. There are also many interesting qubits throughout Buckyball Groove, though the saxophone easily steals the show. Its timbre is vibrant, and perfectly pairs the clean, glitchy environment. More impressive is its progression, in which the song continuously deconstructs itself, yet moves at an admirable pace. I’m Not Afraid starts off like a tacky Daft Punk clone, though progresses into an impressive piece overloaded with cheesy heavy electronic guitars and fascinating synths. One could say the elements themselves surpass the famous duo, as does the progression; its poppy convention is the only aspect holding it back.
Not everything is strong. Recovery deconstructs drum and bass samples, though doesn’t feel as wholly absorbing as it could be. The palate is still quite varied and well structured, though; one should never go full abstraction. Not Wub Wubs often feels like leftover scraps from stronger, preceding tracks. The closer, Gentle Sci-Fi (feat. A Problem Like Maria) features some ingenious moments, though sadly as a cheesy dance song it sounds underwhelming. Between these two tracks is This ‘Nature’ is Inefficient, So It Has To Go, though, which is easily a standout. Both charming and unsettling, the song continuously degrades until it is unrecognizable, poetically traversing the listener into its maniacal, yet down to Earth environment. There are also some remixes towards the end of the album. As I’m unsure of whether they’re canon, I have chosen to skip them for the purposes of this review. They’re pretty neat, though, and don’t drag the overall experience down.
Equally creative and captivating, I Just Like Magnets is delightful. It takes a lot for a stubborn reviewer to tap his toes to a beat that was copy pasted across a DAW, though Adi “Blingley” Saikkonen’s debut is overflowing with ideas; it’s simply irresistible. It won’t be enough to turn the head of a dubstep bro who won’t stop hogging the auxiliary cable, though it’s accessible enough to please the average music endeavor, and deep enough to satisfy the pretentious.
Really Good
Listen to it here:
Adi “Blingley” Saikkonen – I Just Like Magnets
