Skee Mask - Compro

 Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog. Today, I will be reviewing Skee Mask's sophomore release, Compro. This was the album that really put this man on the map. And it's not hard to see why.

We open with Cerroverb. An ambient piece full of SFX, field recordings, bassy, yet lush synth pad washes, glitchy melodies here and there. An amazing opener to the album.

Next we have Session Add with rumbling basses, mechanical SFX, melodic beeps and lush synth pads.

Next we have the grooviest song on here, Rev8617 has delayed drum work, glitchy steel-like plucks, more lush synth pads. Around the middle, Skee Mask brings in a fatter bass and quiets down the main melody. And afterwards we return to the beginning of the track.

50 Euro To Break Boost is more beat oriented, but still contains your standard Skee Mask style pads.

Via Sub Mids continues on the breakbeat style of the previous track, only here we find not that many memorable melodies. It's a good track, but it doesn't have the same remarkability like the previous songs on here.

Soundboy Ext. has human-like synth pads, alongside bombastic drum beats.

Dial 274 has a slower beat, and not that many stand-out features.

On the other hand, Vli has some very gentle and uplifting plucks and more of those lush synth washes.

Flyby Vfr has a more acoustic sounding beat. More SFX, more synth washes and more lush soundscapes. I swear whenever I listen to this album, I feel as if I'm having a refreshing dip in these soundscapes.

Muk FM opens on a radio-sample, and builds on an acid bassline, which gives this song a unique sound on this album, reminding me a lot of the energetic moments on Analord.

Kozmic Flush has some high energy drum beats and not as lush synth pads. Oh no! But that isn't that big of a problem given the occasional flute melodies on here.

Calimance (Delay Mix) ends the album on a bit of a moodier note, with melodies that remind of a song on Selected Ambient Works Volume II, but I can't seem to put my finger on the song.

So overall, whilst the album can get rather repetitive at points, the lush soundscapes and variety of sounds overpower this con. A must listen for any ambient techno fan.

Favourite tracks: All, except for Via Sub Mids and Dial 274
Score: 9/10

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