Apnea release Gerard Hanson’s latest LP offering “Faded Caprice” under his E.R.P. alias
E.R.P. aka Gerard Hanson, known to many as Convextion, circles back into orbit with what can only be described as yet another work of wonder. Recoupling with Spanish label Apnea Records for their 9th release after a relaunch, “Faded Caprice” lands in the shape of an 8 track album proving once again why much of his material is so highly prized.
A gorgeous excursion into the deepest realms of Detroit-influenced Electro, interwoven with splashes of House and Techno. The total sum of it’s parts make for repeated play, all spun with a sleek sensibility that teleports you directly into the outer reaches of the cosmos.
As with everything Hanson touches, there’s a meticulous attention to detail, and there’s no mistaking where his heart lies. His sonic marksmanship oozes charm and synthetic sensuality in equal measure. Each track presented as a sonic sketch, in this latest LP he’s sought to capture the essence of hot afternoons and hazy sunsets. All of which resonate with an emotional depth, inviting you to lose yourself in his enchanting web. An all-too-rare sort of romance in Electronic music that’s arguably been lost in translation in the era of hyper commercialisation and the race to find the fastest bpm which you reach whilst jumping around behind a set of synched CJs.
From the reassuring wriggling bass notes and icy pads of opening salvo ‘Let’s Amble’, you then flick to the playful pop of ‘Miami Nice’ as glistening melodies are lifted by diffuse chords. The watery melodics and weighted bass of ‘Easy Afternoon’ take you on to another turn before you’re met with the widescreen bliss of ‘Loose Trucks’ – an expansively tuned moment that evokes twinkling starlit bliss.
The muted warbling of ‘Comfortable Pants’ takes yet another twist as aquatic pads and melodic echoes reach out from beyond the deep. Before you’re hit with the glassy introspective melody and thickly detuned analogue bottom end of ‘Cape Earl’. The smooth glide of ‘Summer Nights’ has a more classic rhythmic pop and fleshy bassline to it as you revel in the ethereal. Last but not least, the final call of ‘El Camino Part II’ brings this latest missive to a close in understated fashion. A testament to the artistry and vision of Hanson’s music, a gift that just keeps on giving.
