Fennesz

Over the years, Christian Fennesz has earned himself a reputation as being a bit of a maximalist, often pummelling fans into submission with ferocious stabs of treated guitar and laptop wizardry. But as Seven Stars reminds us, the long-running Austrian experimentalist has a lighter side as well. Made up of four tracks, the ten-inch finds Fennesz in a tranquil state of mind, effortlessly filling each side of wax with slow-moving, uncomplicated ambience. Compared to earlier work found on albums like Endless Summer, and with side-projects such as Fenn O'Berg, the lack of clutter leaves plenty of room for the tracks to breathe, stretch out and relax, much like several of the songs found on Fennesz's most recent album, Black Sea. It's a calming listen, for sure, highlighted best by the EP's cinematic title track, which comes complete with snail-paced live drum work and slowly strung six-strings. As far as stopgap releases go, Seven Stars hits the mark dead-on.