Jon Porras – Light Divide

The second solo release on Thrill Jockey from Jon Porras (formerly of drone duo Barn Owl) represents something of a departure. Where previous work has used guitar as the fundamental sonic source, drawing comparisons with acts like Six Organs of Admittance, Light Divide sees Porras eschew the guitar entirely in favour of electronics. It’s a bold move, and across the five richly-textured soundscapes here, it reveals new depths to his compositional abilities.

The shift in Porras’ approach is clear not just in terms of the record’s sonic makeup, but also in the pieces’ loose, abstract structures, and the near-total refusal to adhere to melodic or rhythmic convention. Light Divide consequently places Porras in the company of acts like Tim Hecker and Oneohtrix Point Never, and while it never quite reaches the hallucinatory heights of such peers, it suggests some tantalising connections between this dark, ambient electronica and his guitar-based work. [Sam Wiseman]