2011 December | Cold Tear Records

Kaleb Daleszak reviews SEN album: “this album has everything an ambient techno fan could ask for”

“If you’re old enough to recall the thriving electronic music scene of the ’90s, or if you’re an avid electronic music fan that has spent a copious amount of time exploring the genre, you’ll either remember or know that artists at that time weren’t afraid of experimentation. Back then, expansive sounds were being created, and we as listeners were challenged to absorb the wonderous sonic varieties, not knowing quite what hit us. As digital technology advanced, so too did the music. This, of course, wasn’t a bad thing – It gave the musician a lot more flexibility and didn’t require them to be encumbered by crates of vinyl or hardware synthesisers. Another advantage was that production techniques would become cleaner. The one thing I really miss is the rawness of ’90s electronic, though. It gave the music a rough edge; it was all warm and gritty. Fast forward to today and most artists will have sanded every single one of those edges until the sound is all nice and rounded, perfect for 21st Century audiophiles. John Shern, better known as SEN, dared to be different with the release of ‘Sensory Emotive Network’.”