The debut album from Hrdvsion, aka Nathan Jonson, takes the listener to a variety places, at least some of which will doubtless be new to many ears. A non-compromising creator of glitch-heavy electronic music for the last decade or so, Hrdvsion has finally matched his esoteric vision to the more formal structures of house, techno and electro/breakbeat.
‘Where did you just go?’ is something my girlfriend often says to me when she’s talking to me and I kind of drift off. I’ll be talking to her then just stop all of a sudden. I think the title reflects me and my music well; there’s this idea of going in one direction then suddenly pausing to dream about a completely different place…” The debut album from Hrdvsion, aka Nathan Jonson, takes the listener to a variety places, at least some of which will doubtless be new to many ears. A non-compromising creator of glitch-heavy electronic music for the last decade or so, Hrdvsion has finally matched his esoteric vision to the more formal structures of house, techno and electro/breakbeat. “I did it to make the girls dance!” he laughs. “Actually it’s a kind of bridging point. The production, the way it’s mixed, is similar to my older stuff as I’ve always liked loud and punchy music. In general this album is a bit subtler. I focused on letting ideas evolve more slowly and let the grooves go on for longer. I realised I liked making techno! But it’s still fairly challenging I think.” Jonson’s prior releases on labels like Itiswhatitis and the upcoming Wagon Repair (run by his brother, Cobblestone Jazz’s Mathew Jonson) are known for their scattered Squarepusher-esque energy, their bleep-drenched melodies and sense of twisted urgency. Where did you just go? retains these circuit-busting tendencies yet aims more directly for the dancefloor. Opening track “842 Colours” blends off kilter beats with Hrdvsion’s trademark skittish sounds, while cuts like “Captivated Heart", “City Girls", “Closed Eyes” and “Making It Home” cultivate and simultaneously subvert ‘traditional’ house and breakbeat riddims via buzzing synths and serrated melodies.