Tomas Barfod: Salton Sea (Fear of Friends)

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Tomas Barfod

Salton Sea

Fear of Friends

Aug 01, 2012 Web Exclusive By Sam Cleeve

Producer and drummer Tomas Barfod’s latest collection of organically-infused minimal techno tracks is full of unfulfilled potential. Pulsating opener “D.S.O.Y.” has a relentless drive, but its arpeggiated synth lines rarely morph into new guises, while previously EP-released “Came to Party,” with its repetitive android voices (“Everybody/Everybody/Everybody/Came to party,” they chant) also suffers from an arduously unchanging dirty groove. As a consequence, these tracks are too limited in scope, too wallpaper thin to have any enduring impact. There are some exceptions: the subtle change in pace midway through “Ecstesizing” helps keep things relatively fresh, as do delicate production touches: the glitchy, skipped-record interlude of “Don’t Under” adds some much-needed variety.

Unfortunately Salton Sea neither has the ideas or innovation to be engrossing electronic music in its own right, nor the momentum or dramatic thunder to fill the dance floors. While inoffensive, Barfod’s work here ultimately fails to really engage. (www.tomasbarfod.com)

Author rating: 5.5/10

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Average reader rating: 4/10