The latest effort signed by German label Modularfields marks a dramatic departure on the part of Noah Pred. Homeward comprises ten singles that hint at the Canadian producer’s previous work while taking creative risks that the patient listener ought to appreciate.
Much of Pred’s discography exists in a curiously colorful grey area where ambient, dub techno, deep house and electro blend together. Although each entry on the tracklist of Homeward consists of familiar elements, they’re arranged in such a way that they cannot be as easily categorized. The Stephan Bodzin-style synths in “Rogue Blossom” and squelching 303s underscoring “In Black Robes” punctuate longer, more experimental loops than those of any of his other soundscapes.
The album as a whole also exhibits a cohesion of concept uncommon to contemporary electronic music. Tension builds with each subsequent track, resolving at “Ashes To The Sea” without yielding a predictable degree of closure to the listener.
According to Pred himself, the loss of a loved one inspired the effort. “Homeward was born from a promise to my mother, made in the weeks before she left this realm,” he explained in a statement. “In the end, it didn’t seem right to simply collect existing projects, or even to work within my usual constraints: I wanted to devote myself to creating something as unique as she was.”
By and large, his latest effort makes just such a genuine and and solemn statement. Borne of integrity and executed with Pred’s signature attention to detail, it demonstrates what compelling material can result from an artist’s vulnerability.
Homeward by Noah Pred arrives by way of Modularfield on June 15th. Find the album artwork below and stream or preorder it via Bandcamp.
