Asserter – I’m Not An Intimate Man (i)
I’m Not An Intimate Man (Part 1 of 2) is a divisive piece of work in Asserter’s. The covers are peculiar; it seems as if the artist digitally infused himself with a neanderthal. The music, on the other hand, is some of his most colourful and playful, though also some of his most standard.
Nonetheless, I’m Not An Intimate Man features some of Asserter’s best work. Firstly, the INTRO is sublime; gorgeously dreamy throughout. Tokens is a solid follow-up, featuring beautiful fourth-world. Blocks is almost comical in nature, though maintains sophistication in sound design, resulting in a pleasant experience. SomethingNewToDo rocks an engaging, demented progression. Undeniably, the track sounds like its holding back in lieu of maintaining the dreamlike atmosphere. A wise decision, otherwise, it may have stood out for the wrong reasons. That being said, it would be fascinating to see Asserter tackle a more sophisticated, hardcore electronic approach. Lastly, 3_OASIS is spectacular; more as to why later. The weaker tracks include those mostly driven by their arps, sounding less experimental and more cheesy in nature. Examples of this can be heard in songs such as Oceam Spomge and Walkboard.
Here are some notes on the remaining tracks:
1. 2_Track - does the previous track’s idea much more pleasingly.
2. Short Hall Dreamer 05:25 – nice style
3. 4_ISLAND neat sounds, but kinda filler
4. 6_Blocks – I like that second half. Solid track overall.
5. It's Back 05:56 – Great sound design. Great progression. Interesting track overall.
6. Tokens (Og Mix) – I like the updated mix more
7. Jolly (ft. Mollywhollop) 01:24 – Neat experimentation. I wish there was more of it. Works as a short closer, though.
I could be wrong, though the primary difference between Asserter’s latest LP’s and his masterpieces Float Primes and Creeper, is I’m Not An Intimate Man seems driven by its percussion. Previously, the beats were merely an accessory to the dreamy fourth-world elements. It goes without saying the best tracks are those that replicate his old style, such as the immaculate 3_ Oasis. At the end of the day, Parts 1 and 2 of I’m Not An Intimate Man contain some of the artists best work, though much of the two albums cover familiar ground. It goes without saying the artist should have combined the two albums to create a more outstanding record, those a true fan won’t mind the fluff. Even the weaker tracks are better than most experimental ambient.
Good
Listen to it here:
https://asserter.bandcamp.com/album/im-not-an-intimate-man-i
Asserter – I’m Not An Intimate Man (i)
