When Heflin handed me this CD, he said "It might be a little folky." I’m assuming his impression was taken from the CD’s handmade-looking packaging, some hearty rag paper adorned with an application of actual, multicolored bits of thread–it could have easily been the latest from some mushy, tofu-addled whiner with a lute. In fact, it was none of these things.
Eric Hnatow, not unlike his unusual name, has created an unusual record. It’s vibe is lo-fi, and its composition is purely instrumental electronica. At times it gets spacey like a video game soundtrack that accompanies a player’s accidentally stumbling into a secret room or area, though the most prevalent vibe is that of ’80s dance tracks, borrowing from early Blondie or Herbie Hancock’s "Rockit" or "Alex F" (the Beverly Hills Cop theme). Methinks in general this cavalcade of Casios and TR505-sounding beats would make an awesome dance party album, though my one complaint is that, even though I appreciate its overall dry, mostly reverb-free DIY production values, it is somewhat lacking in bottom end–though perhaps that could be fixed in a remix or re-mastering. Nice beats and melodic themes all around, though. It even gets kind of Middle Eastern and backwards-sounding at the end; very trancey and cool, and good placement at the end of the record, when perhaps the ecstasy is starting to wear off and you just want to settle down with a Red Bull next to a very sweaty, scantily-clad girl…
