Grimm Reality

Dimlite's two EPs for Now-Again, Prismic Top and My Human Wears Acedia Shreds, captured an artist in flux: a producer fleeing from his loosely hip-hop, jazz and electronica-infused early material and towards a more realized world of sound. With Grimm Reality, Dimlite incorporates the techniques and artistic attitude of two of his alter-egos (Misel Quitno, a fanatic in low-fidelity electro-acoustic composition; the Slapped Eyeballers, a two-headed, world-rock-folk combo) to color a progressive sonic vision. Titling his third album Grimm Reality might seem to point to a new autobiographical streak in this Swiss producer/electronic musician, but that would be too simple. It's up to the listener to piece together a version of Grimm's Reality from mere hints: the wistful romance of 'XY,' the tension and release of 'New, Better Pain' and so on through every perfectly poised moment on this record. Likewise, looking for the remains of a hip-hop influence, or a connection to what's happening on modern-day dance floors, won't yield much here. The precedents that spring to mind are all cherished outsiders -- Neu, The Residents, Beefheart, Philip Glass -- footnotes in mainstream music history but, in an altogether preferable parallel universe, titans of the recent past.