Minor Science – Second Language [Whities]

Second Language gives us a widescreen view of a musical world previously glimpsed through the Minor Science’s series of 12″ releases. A kaleidoscope of tempos and intensities, the record is often fast but rarely heavy, fizzing with detail but full of space, euphoric in places but frequently blue in mood.

As the title suggests, the album takes translation as a guiding principle, putting an idiomatic spin on familiar styles – from Detroit-ish techno and hyperspeed electro to twilit electronica, musique concrete and sour modal jazz. Minor Science’s language is a knotty one, packed with odd time-signatures, brain-bending sound design and a playful palette of switch-ups, fake-outs and digital hiccups. But it’s also soft and emotive, and shot through with vibrant melody.

Minor Science’s relationship with languages is a strong feature of the record. More precisely the relationship between a second and third language, and a mother tongue. It signals an effort to get out of familiar habits, echoing the relationship he has with his own music writing and music making. Regardless of attempts to be precise, a translation can never fully capture the original meaning.

Release date: April 3^rd, 2020.