Pantha du Prince - The Triad

Pantha du Prince
The Triad
2016
Spotify

Minimalism has always been a hallmark of Pantha du Prince's work, taking techno and drilling it down to the most technical, most polished song possible. The Triad however shows Hendrik Weber expanding his horizons and taking those minimalist ideas and blowing them up into an expansive and highly reflective record. The music has gone from sounding like it was actually created on a laptop in a basement to something grander larger. It is no surprise then that much of The Triad sounds very organic. Despite the tones being very computer generated for the most part a song like "You What? Euphoria" almost sounds like flowing or dripping water, it really is quite incredible. That particular song just never stops evolving and changing throughout twisting and turning to end up at a point that seems minimalist but has so much depth and character. Many of the tracks have very ethereal titles evoking the nature of the album as a transportation device. You are not quite sure where you are going when a track begins but by the time it's over you are fully enraptured with the world that Pantha du Prince is able to craft. Like a lot of this music the visuals created in your mind as you listen are spectacular making the record more of a full frontal onslaught on all the senses. A highlight however is the use of bells and chimes, they simply are mesmerizing and no better than they are on "Frau im mond, Sterne laufen".

Even when the album switches gears into synth-pop on "Islands in the Sky" that same visualization is there. Vocals are used sparingly on The Triad but to great effect. "In an Open Space" features Queens singing breathily and far off, but the impact is almost that of a dream, seeing or hearing something in a distance but not being able to completely determine it's shape because of the swirling mess around you. However the vocals are not front and center, they are always just another element to the song rather than the crux. The entire record could be the soundtrack to a dream and I doubt anyone would complain. With music like this you would expect for it to eventually take a dark turn, down into the basement rave scene, but that never really happens. Pantha du Prince takes a lighter more emotional approach to music never fully embracing the dark side. Percussion takes a more upfront roll as the album progresses becoming a bit more industrial on tracks like "Chasing Vapour Trails" but it never takes away from the overarching organic vibe. This music is transcendent because it oozes connection, you find yourself wanting to be in a group swaying and watching the world Pantha du Prince creates unfold in front of you. The Triad is something really special and an achievement that you do not want to miss.

9.0 out of 10