After a stellar debut in 2018, Against All Logic returns with a substantial sophomore release, forgoing his disco influenced house music in replacement for deconstructed club.
By Gavin Majeski
New York, N.Y. electronic artist Nicolas Jaar has been producing music for almost a decade, and since 2018, under the pseudonym Against All Logic. In 2018 he released his "2012 - 2017" album which received widespread critical praise for it’s catchy disco and funk inspired house. With "2017 - 2019" we see Jaar move into a more experimental direction with industrial notes and crunchy-alien textures.
Tracks like "Fantasy," "Alarm," "Deeeeeefers" and "You (forever)" are excellent examples of the vibrant, yet cruddy texture that sounds like metal clanking melodically. The album also boasts seamless transitions between the tracks, "If Loving You Is Wrong" into "With an Addict" and "Alarm" into "Deeeeeefers." These transitions are seamless yet crispy clean, allowing the listener to know exactly when the song switches up. The final two tracks on the record, "Penny" and "You (forever)" are excellent closers by slowing down the tempo of the album, yet retaining the same excellent production as previously heard.
Though a few songs drag on too long due to length and stale rhythmic patterns, the main culprit of this is "Faith." "Faith" is the achilles heel of the album, with minimalist production that is skip worthy when compared to the lush production of everything else on the record. Even with a few errors here and there, "2017 - 2019" is a great sophomore follow-up and experimental breath of fresh air for both club and house music.
Favorite Tracks: Fantasy, If Loving You Is Wrong, With an Addict, If You Can’t Do It, Do It Hard, Alarm, Deeeeeefers, Penny, You (forever)
7.5/10