TM404 –TM404

TM404 is the latest alias of Swedish glitch pioneer Andreas Tilliander; this project turns his considerable talents to spacious, dubby techno in the vein of Gas and Basic Channel. TM404 is not merely a foray into new sonic pastures, however; the LP is also underpinned by two core conceptual ideas. Firstly, Tilliander deliberately restricts the range of tools at his disposal, working primarily with a Roland TB-303; and secondly, TM404 was recorded live, in real time, in his studio.

The LP works as a techno record in its own right: Tilliander’s decision to use a limited range of equipment gives it an unusual aesthetic coherence and lucidity, and the 303 in this context acquires a new subtlety, which he characterises as “somnolent acid.” As a live album, however, TM404 is less convincing, since no overarching sense of spontaneity emerges. Nonetheless, Tilliander’s determination to challenge electronica’s orthodoxies ensures his continuing significance. [Sam Wiseman]