- Minus seems to have been undergoing a period of creative stimulation, with a host of recent releases appearing from their core roster of artists. While most have been decent enough, few have dared to stray away from the overworked kooky sound design that tends to bog down a lot of tracks in mindless aesthetics. Jesse Siminski, AKA Heartthrob, however, has managed to deliver something a little bit more unique and perhaps enduring.
He lets the inner workings of each track dictate the direction of the music rather than simply adhering to label aesthetics. The title track is the best example. The bass and kick duck in and out through a long intro before finally recruiting a simple melodic hook and a battery of percussive illusions. Each sound is woven together into a slow progression rather than overdressed for immediate, but short lived, effect.
"Diaghilev," presumably a homage to the great Russian ballet dancer Sergei Diaghilev, and "Dancing" both work similarly. The former offsets gritty funk bass beneath lithe hi-hats until the slow build-up finally takes over and fattens things up, whereas "Dancing" ebbs and flows on thrusts and squirts of pulsating bass and shuddering synths.
"Your Body" is more playful, employing slippery jazz chords and a quieter, smoother bass that leave plenty of space for a vocal echo, itself a simple lyric that almost seems profound next to Ambivalent's high school pranksterism. "In My Room," meanwhile, is forgettable, as long stretches seem to become too dependent on the frantic Suicide-like melodic frame. All in all, though, Setting Up is a great release that is both distinct and distinctly Minus.
Tracklist A1 Setting Up
A2 Your Body
B1 Dancing
B2 In My Room
Digital: Diaghilev