Review:
Obscure artist Simplicity Is Beautiful has achieved what Aphex Twin did in marrying complexity with simplicity. "Ithica" shares many parallels with Richard D. James' difficult productions in the use of circuitous percussion and buzzing kick drums that later reward the listener with sweeping synths and melancholic keys. Komabase tones down the originals emotive content but maintains its blue funk. The title track merges recognisable elements of Jean Michel Jarre with Tangerine Dream and the glitchy electronics of Kraftwerk. Revered German producer The Exaltics reworks "Operators Manuel" into a Kanding Ray form of lab coat techno, while "Telemachus" travels down a more traditionally dub techno path with the addition of classic '70s Deutsche elektronische musik synths. Djamel removes most of the dubby low end in his remix and replaces it with a growling electro synth in a stripped back version of the original.