On Ancient Pathways, Luke turns to his modular synthesiser as the sole source of sound and arrangement. Whilst modular synths are renowned for their incredibly broad sound palette and for inviting experimentation, they are notoriously difficult to navigate when it comes to arrangement. Testament to Luke’s skill then, that he not only coaxes delicate and intriguing tones and textures from his setup, but also manages the non-trivial task of weaving a story and structure around them.
Captured in the moment, sculpted and manipulated through reflex and muscle memory, the sounds summoned for Ancient Pathways are far from the standard fare. While no-one could deny their electronic origins, the sounds are alive with variation, impurities and tiny details. Each piece feels like a focussed and deliberate study, an exercise in coaxing and unearthing, finding those rich veins where rhythm, tone and timbre coalesce into something especially pleasing. These forms are captured and magnified before being allowed to morph into something else, the process beginning again.
https://www.serein.co.uk/releases/luke-sanger-ancient-pathways
