IRXIUM and Aisle of Dogs Turn the Night Into a Groove on AOD + IRX (Rewound)

What makes night music special? The calmness of the city, new character of the known places, unexpected weight of some of the sounds that you could listen to in the daytime. The very atmosphere of night is the theme of a new album, AOD + IRX (Rewound), by an independent producer, IRXIUM, the pseudonym of Iain Raux, and electronic band, Aisle of Dogs. Being released via Cause Chaos Records, AOD + IRX (Rewound) is a demonstration of restraint, atmosphere and deep groove and it is an attempt to move away from the noise of the mainstream productions.

The choice of the album title shows the main idea of the album: rewound means something that you hear once and then you hear it again in another way. The music on the record combines the features of old recording techniques with the new sound of the electronic music.

First of all, the music is deeply rooted in the lo fi tradition. The characteristic crackling sounds, warm chords, dusty textures, and some other imperfections make the production physically felt. And although such imperfection is typical for today's music, being created in such way, AOD + IRX (Rewound) sounds like the music that was found somewhere and is familiar to us only because we were listening to it for a long time.

Nevertheless, the album doesn't stay in one sound tradition. Its advantage is in the ability of the duo to combine different genres without losing its identity. The relaxed hip hop beats are laid as the background of the music and they remind the listener about the swing of boom bap. On top of that, there are the influences of UK Garage and deep House.

However, the most important thing is that the influence of these genres does not stand separately. The beats are able to shift from the hip hop style to something else, the chords could create the hazy mood, while the drums are just pushing the track. And such music is constantly moving forward without any hurry.

This feature proves the creative compatibility of the artists: IRXIUM has already gained the fame of the artist that is comfortable working in cinematic atmospheres, lo fi productions and underground rhythms, while the band, Aisle of Dogs, is famous for its immersive sound designs and textural electronic music. Together, they found the point in which these styles meet and which became the topic of their album.

There is something cinematic in the music, you see some streetlights passing through the windshield, you hear distant bassline leaking from the basement venue and somebody is going home wearing headphones. Those are just some little scenes, but AOD + IRX (Rewound) gives them a sense of scale.

It is especially noticeable in the production of the record: the duo understands that the atmosphere of the song is formed not only by its sound, but also by what is absent. The arrangements of the tracks are detailed, but the beats are given enough space, the chords are comfortably situated in the composition and there is enough space for the development of the textures. Such approach results in the smooth and deep listening experience that requires patience.

This is one of the main qualities of the album: there is no need to impress the listener with something new. Instead, the music trusts the groove and the repetition to work.

IRXIUM's complex sound design plays an important role here: his works always explored the point of interaction of the electronic production and emotional narrative and this approach is continued in the current collaboration. The sounds of the songs are chosen carefully, but they are not overpolished. The production sounds warm and accessible despite of the complexity of the arrangements.

And the second important participant of the collaboration, the band, Aisle of Dogs, adds its musical identity to the project. Thanks to the interest to the immersive production and the underground beat culture, the album receives the necessary depth so that lo fi aesthetic won't be a mere visual and sonic decoration of the tracks. The texture here is an integral element of the storytelling.

Moreover, the emotional range of the music is also wider than its relaxed surface. Sometimes, the music sounds comforting and nostalgic; it makes you dive into the memories that you cannot name. But sometimes, the influences of the deep house and garage add to the music some urgency.

And this is where the album becomes more than the mere genre exercise. It creates the particular atmosphere that asks to plunge into it. Hip hop, UK Garage, House and lo fi are not the isolated stylistic elements anymore. They are the elements of the larger language of the music based on the atmosphere, rhythm and emotion.

The result of the collaboration of IRXIUM and Aisle of Dogs is the rather consistent album that sounds united despite the different perspectives of each of the participants. The album sounds dusty, nocturnal, understated and rhythmic.

So, AOD + IRX (Rewound) is the music for the spaces in between: it belongs to the midnight drive, to the dimly lit room where thoughts are wandering and to the moment when the familiar beat sounds different because the whole surrounding became new. The music is attractive thanks to its atmosphere and patience of its formation.