Mid paced and very melodic, David
Kristian's three suns are little gems of calm electronica. Little beats
are arranged in short but repetitive loops, while plenty of sci-fi effects
and pads supply a dreamy texture to the tracks. Balanced and contained,
this is an album that walks slowly, charming your ears and catching your
attention again and again with beautiful passages and a heavy use of sound
effects. It might be all electronic and instrumental, I can not help but
be reminded here of Neutral's music, for David Kristian's carry the same
emotional, yet strong feeling. This is a touching feel that is not overly
sad or cheesy. The sound is clear and the melodies are prominent all
throughout these 13 tracks. A lot of care seems to have been given to the
synthesis of the sounds, which are somewhere between old dreamy Tangerine
Dream and modern, crystal clear tones. Hard to describe but pleasant to
listen to, this album is a coherent whole whose main flaw might be to be a
bit too long. Anyway, it is maybe my favorite release on Piehead so far. A
very melodic calm electronica album, not too abstract but still original,
and therefore tasty.
-
Nicolas Chevreux
(Recycle Your
Ears)
I think the finest output (from Piehead) so far is definitely by David
Kristian, he is always sure to add that extra punch in his tunes always
treading into the more chaotic forms of experimentation, and it simply
'works'.
-
Pietro Da Sacco (Igloo
Magazine)
An interesting blend of old school style techno circa 1990 featuring
abstract electronic breaks tempered with an overall lo-fi aesthetic. But,
when I say lo-fi, I mean on par with Aphex Twin's Ambient Works Volume 1,
where the sounds are recorded low, tempered with a raw feel and a tendency
to embrace sound accidents and running with them. Overall, there are
thirteen well wrought tracks on this recording, but Short Sunderland
and Peachcombe are my favorites. Both tracks are very catchy and
infused with a joyful dance rhythm and playful imaginativeness that
occurred more often when electronic dance music was relatively new.
Listening to a David Kristian recording, one never knows what fully to
expect since he does not stick to one particular style, rather, he
dabbles. But his danceable tracks, for me at least, seem to be the most
appealing.
-
I. Khider (Exclaim)
David Kristian has been a staple in local techno for over a decade,
producing some of the most innovative and beautiful music for labels like
Leaf, Schematic, Alien8, Lo Recordings, and Tigerbeat6. My Three Suns
moves away from the abstract sound design of his
Cricklewood and Room Tone
albums and brings in a more accessible, beat-driven and subtly sci-fi
sound as on his Sawdust, Sinedust, Squaredust
album. His melodies are understated, delicate and haunting, the
creepiest moment being guest vocals by fellow Montreal experimental artist
[sic] on tracks 10 and 12. (rating: 9 out of 10)
-
Raf Katigbak
(Montreal Mirror)
David Kristian has provided some very entertaining material here -
thirteen tracks of spirited, sci-fi inspired electronics travel from
B-movie terrain to a more gentle style of techno. This is not the David
"Sound Design" Kristian of Cricklewood or Room Tone, rather
the slightly more accessible David "IDM" Kristian, featured on
Beneath the Valley of the Modulars and
Sawdust Sinedust Squaredust. Inventive rhythms intertwine with
gurgling analogue synths, pulsing bass and the occasional human voice to
create a warm and irresistible mix of sounds. The melodies are haunting in
a casual and indirect way – subtlety is Kristian's forte, and it's used to
good effect here. Fellow Montreal sound artist
(sic) makes a couple of
appearances here as well in the form of telephone message recordings
presumably left for Kristian in varying states of realization. One such
realization comes when she notices that her mouse-bearing feet have caught
fire (I'll leave the rest of the amusing details for you to discover).
Definitely the strangest section of the disc, but an entertaining tale
nonetheless. With Kristian's solo output being rather limited these days,
it was a nice surprise to have this release cross my path.
-
Vils M DiSanto (Incursion)
David Kristian might be known for his previous recordings on such fine
labels as Alien8, Leaf, Drop Beat, Lo, Ninja Tune and many more. He has
been producing music since 1983, resulting in thousands of compositions.
His main thing is the use of analog gear, but since some time he has been
using software synthesizers and grooveboxes. With this relative simple set
up he produced these thirteen tracks, which are all best described as
straight forward techno pieces using a harsher metallic sound. Robot music
as Suction Records would say. Two pieces include voice material and are
the more experimental side of Kristian. Great, simple music. A true ear
pleasure.
-
Frans de Waard
(Vital Weekly)
Piehead Records is a subscription-based CDR label, but
it's been getting a lot of attention because of the impressive roster and
rapid fire release schedule. Only a CDR label, or a large indie label
could afford to release a full album by a different high-profile artist
every month, and if Piehead continues putting out such amazing stuff, they
should become a force to be reckoned with. David Kristian recognized the
label's potential, and it shows. None of the material on My Three Suns has
even the faintest aroma of filler, which makes me question whether David
Kristian is only one man, or the result of a cloning experiment. How can
anyone put out so many records of the same quality in such a short time?
Cloning issues aside, My Three Suns is a tasty pie, filled with beats
aplenty and evocative musical elements that stay with you long after
playing the CDR. "Bene Tleilax" and "Little Owen and the Crying Turtles"
are the standout tracks here, but there are many more which make you reach
for the repeat button - such as the eerie and cinematic "Autechre-ish"
Wheelie Takes a Fright, and Mouse on Fire, for which
(sic) provided strange, catatonic voice samples. 10 out of 10.
-Wayne Liu
