the >murmur ep<, limited edition of 500 units in coloured vinyl, the sight belows followup to 2008s full-length glider, is a bracing step forward for the reclusive seattle-based artist, comprising two new songs and a notable remix. the sight below uses the murmur ep as an opportunity for expansion, turning up the contrast on his silky tones to expose an even more deeply textured sound with a powerful emotional effect. on the >murmur ep<, the textures are denser, courser—closer to kevin shields jagged oceans of guitar than gliders wisps of reverb — and the beats are meatier, funkier even. the sight below comes close to recording a real dance track with >murmur<, slipping a skipping syncopation and an honest-to-god bass line into a roiling cloud of distortion. >wishing me asleep< incorporates bits of strings into the mix for a touch of cinematic melancholy.

it seems somehow surprising that its only now that james zabiela enters the fold of balances compilation selectors. a perfect fit for the series, his unfeasibly intricate approach to djing shinesthrough on this sprawling two-parter, created through a back-and-forth process between his pioneer ddj-rz and ableton and featuring two exclusive new productions from the man himself.