When the preview for PrototypeRaptor's new Elemental EP was released just a few short weeks ago, it was instantly clear that we had something very special to look forward to. Back then, I touched upon the idea that this new material seemed to display a new maturity in Jonathan Paulsen's sound - I even used a particularly poor analogy to convey this. I worried, though, that so soon after his previous album, that Elemental might not deliver on all that it promised. I'm absolutely delighted to say, however, that any doubts have now been vanquished, as Elemental is a simply sensational release, from start to finish.
If you'd like to find out why, and to hear the full EP, read on.
Why is Elemental such a success, then? Simply, it draws together the different strands of Jonathan's output in a very convincing way. PrototypeRaptor had almost seemed like a project of two halves with recent releases. Nostalgiarithm, released back in 2013, was a heavy electro album - gritty synths and club bangers were abundant. The follow up album to this, 3-1, was released just a few months later, and whilst it certainly wasn't a polar opposite, it was definitely a very different beast. The latter half of that album in particular was far more down tempo and chilled, and, as noted by Jonathan, owed a lot to jazz and funk influences. And then, back in February, a new EP called Tristram was released, and saw a return to the electro of old. This was somewhat confusing, to me; whilst I wasn't taken immediately by 3-1, it at least felt like an interesting evolution, whereas Tristram felt somewhat like a backpedal - though on reflection, it now feels like more of a stopgap to where we've now arrived.
So, step forward Elemental. Where this release succeeds is in clearing up this confusion. The funk is brought back, but this time it's more heavily infused with the various elements that made Jonathan's electro output so vivid and appealing. It's a tamer sound, but a much more mature one too. It feels like an arrival at an important point.
One of the most important things to note about this particular EP - and to be honest, calling it an EP seems like an injustice, it's far more important than that - is that there isn't a bad track on it. Not a single one. There's no filler in sight, and each track feels like it's been crafted with the utmost attention to detail, exuding a new found excitement to compliment a new found style. I could be wrong, but I believe you can tell when an artist is really excited about something they're doing just by listening to it, as the work provides a reflection of this. In this case, to me that couldn't be more true.
I'll try to now walk through each track, but that could prove tricky as I'll probably run out of superlatives around halfway through. You can also listen to the full thing below, as Jonathan has made it available to stream on Bandcamp.
Is there an apter way to start a release than with a track called Intro? Probably not. And this particular track does exactly what a good intro should, and sets the tone for the whole EP. In this release, there seems to be a bit of an increased emphasis on real instruments, or at least replicating them. Intro introduces us to this concept from the off, with its bass guitar, hand claps and vocals. The only crime this track commits is that it's too short - I was longing for it to continue long after it finished.
Thankfully though, Sunshower, which serves as the opening track proper, is almost a direct continuation of its fantastic prelude - it's in the same key, and begins with very similar chords. I have literally had this track on repeat since it was released, it's just that good, and again, it's mostly the bass guitar work that provides the allure here. It's fantastically funky, and as I noted in my write-up of the EP's preview, I couldn't tell whether it was a real instrument or not. I still can't, and that's a real testament to Jonathan's ability as a producer. It's eventually doubled by a synth bass, which is where the track kicks off and really comes into it's own. Coupled with the delicate chimes that overlay this, you've got one seriously great tune.
The next track, Groove Bias, as the name would suggest takes the funk to a whole new level. Here, the fusion of old and new PrototypeRaptor really comes to the fore. It's got a fantastic bassline melody, that to anyone that knows his work, is instantly recognisable and could only have come from him. This is coupled with creative, staccato pad chords, that drive the track along whilst giving it a glitchy, funky feel, and there's even a slight feel of disco with the strings above all of that. I must confess to not being particularly taken by the squeaky vocal sample that's repeated throughout, but it can't spoil what's otherwise another fantastic track.
Up next is Rootwork. I keep trying to think of a good way to describe this one, and the one word I keep coming back to is 'sleazy'. The bass bounces along, whilst a distant electric guitar solo comes in to add further to the insalubrious feel. This is probably the closest the EP comes to being fully electro, especially in the latter half of the track, but even then, the funk still seems to be present.
Until this point, we've been chugging along somewhere around 128 BPM. Fifth track You brings with it a welcome change of pace, and a vocal performance from Elizaveta. It's a downtempo number, and is stylistically hard to describe. If you've heard some of Mord Fustang's more downtempo material, imagine that and you're not a million miles away from this track. The kick is deep and earthy, and there's a trap-like snare, though to compare this track to that abomination of a genre would be an insult, frankly, as it's far more intelligent than that.
Vaprus sees the tempo rise again, and brings back the groove. The bass, the guitar licks, the choppy organ, the blaring, dischordal brass... it all makes you want to get up to get down. Oh, and there's a fairly epic organ solo, too.
Synesthete is up next. It begins with a guitar riff (bit of a guitar theme going on throughput here, if you hadn't noticed), surrounds by various bleeps and bloops, and it builds from there, adding a driving bassline that carries the whole thing along. It's relentless, but not fatiguing, as it disappears enough to let the track breathe. For some reason, probably the epic guitar licks, it makes me feel kinda like I've been transported back to the 70s. But then that bassline comes in, and so does the pulsing pads that make me feel like I'm at a 90s rave instead.
And then, all too soon, we've arrived at the end, with EP closer Horizon. For only the second time in this release, the tempo lets up slightly. A swirl of delicate piano and static starts the track, before the beat enters, and a pulsing arp that slowly opens. I've often thought before that there have been parallels between the work of PrototypeRaptor and Deadmau5 - their style and sense of progression seem quite similar. The latter artist recently experimented with piano tracks on his album, but to me PR's feels like much more of a success, as it combines experimentation with familiarity, instead of just abandoning any semblance of his style for the sake of creating something different. It's a fantastic way to close out the EP, and brings you down on just the right note.
Blindingly brilliant from start to finish, Jonathan has really hit it out of the park with Elemental. It's a fantastic foray into funk, and for me, a much more successful one this time. I've always loved PrototypeRaptor, but sometimes felt like the music and the style had reached a point of being fully mature. There was a slightly confusing clash of styles for a time, but this new release seems to indicate a brand new, confident direction to take, and one that still allows for further evolution and expansion. All that would be meaningless though if the music was mediocre, but thankfully, every single track is bloody brilliant.
This is my very first proper review of a big release, and it feels wrong in a way to be awarding such a high rating so early on in my blogging career, but do you know what? If literally the only criticism I can muster up is a single slightly off-putting vocal sample, then Elemental and Jonathan bloody-well deserve it.
The Octopus' Rating: 8/8
Release Details:
Name: Elemental EP
Artist: PrototypeRaptor
Label: N/A
Release Date: 9 July [OUT NOW]
Purchase: Bandcamp
Writer, musician, and all-round top guy. I set up Excited Octopus. Currently, I'm on a one man team. It gets lonely sometimes. But I don't mind, because I love you all.
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