M Wagner’s debut album, “We Could Stay,” doesn’t ease its way in; it storms into existence. The opening music carries an ominous inevitability, akin to a looming storm cloud over a city skyline. An enormous four-chord vamp, distorted and haunted by echoing vocals, crashes in with a seductive elegance, like witnessing the power of a tornado up close. As “Release Yrself” progresses, its noisy layers peel away, revealing a lullaby-like melody glowing softly. Just when it seems serene, Wagner introduces a startling trance synth, its sharp tones layered with the raw intensity of a malfunctioning tape deck.
“We Could Stay” is a staggering debut from the Brooklyn electronic artist, oscillating between hypnotic tranquility and visceral intensity. Wagner simplifies his programmed percussion to its core, stripping genres like house, garage, and techno down to their essentials. Despite this minimal approach, his compositions are rich and textured, filled with interlocking loops, micro samples that repeat infinitely, and synths that pulse and reverberate with agitation. While influences like GAS and the Field are apparent, Wagner’s work operates within a more immediate sonic landscape, drawing on dreamy textures reminiscent of his previous psych-pop project, Silver Liz, from which he samples vocals on the title track.
A hallmark of Wagner’s style is his gradual introduction of elements, often imperceptibly blending them into the mix until they dominate the sound. Tracks like “Marcy Av” evolve from solitary bass drums into intricate UK garage rhythms, while “Never Gone” and “Rome Generator” weave ghostly vocals and syncopated kicks into their dense sonic tapestries. Throughout the album, Wagner balances these subtle shifts with more structured techno frameworks, creating an enticing contrast between ethereal atmospheres and grounded rhythms. While “We Could Stay” briefly loses momentum towards the end with ambient pieces that tread familiar ground, the majority of its 41-minute runtime is a thrilling journey. Bruised yet beautiful, Wagner’s debut album captivates with its immersive soundscapes and inventive sonic explorations, marking him as a formidable new voice in electronic music.
English