Ryan Crosson, Tale Of Us & Aquarius Heaven / Into Later Habitats
Vinyl / Digital
Visionquest / Released July 2013
An impressive A and B makes up the latest cut from the Visionquest stable, and by all accounts summarises exactly what the label does best. On a slightly proggressive tip, but with sounds firmly rooted in an more subtle or perhaps gentile Detroit future, Ryan Crosson and Tale of Us’ opening offering, Angel, grows from an almost ambient, and certainly very warm downbeat introduction into a heavy, rolling builder focused on a sizeable bass drone and some trance-edged melodies. A fine tune indeed.
Flip it to find Mr. Crosson in action again, this time alongside Aquarius Heaven on the dub-inflected Head Above Water. From the Jah-ist lyrical comments that dominate as the kick drum stomp begins, to the resulting deep techy loops that eventually send the tune into its instantly compulsive groove, it’s an exercise in poised atmospherics and timely development of rhythm and tune to create an immersive, hypnotic single that’s also a far, far cry from anything that might bore or become background music. Needless to say then, we’ll be playing both a few times again.