Mysteries Of The Deep

Mysteries’ latest from Melbourne-based producer Mosam Howieson falls somewhere between realms — percussive, deep techno and airy ambient — eventually landing in a liminal, stunning, undefinable space. From the wispy, tentacled opener “Explorations” to the IDM-leaning stunner “Cerebro,” Howison’s Aphelion is an intentional experiment in world building, and the world he’s built is a landscape brimming with a potent confluence of retro-futurist sounds, genres, and textures. Aphelion refers to the point at which a planet is furthest from the sun. Despite the inherent darkness in this concept and its release coming in the wake of a turbulent year, Howieson assures us that he’s far from cynical: in fact, he says the album is “about coming back to the light.” Whether it's the acidic arpeggiation, airy pads, or intricately woven percussion that gets us there, Aphelion is emotionally transportive. In certain tracks, 80’s-influenced synth melody provides the teeth — the LP is not overly percussive, nor is it strictly