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Favorite ThisBluetech is back! Debuts track from first of 4-part concept EP series.

Published: February 25, 2016

By: Anand Harsh

One of the most iconic figures in our corner of the industry is back after a long hiatus. Evan Bartholomew took a 2-year break from producing, but is back in a big way. The newest Bluetech project is a series of 4 EPs, each dedicated to one of the apocalyptic horsemen referenced in the Bible.

This eschatological concept series is influenced heavily by towering figures of the modern and classical art and science scene (Möbius, BeksiƄski, Mead), but is also irreverent and plays with modes and themes with a twinkle of the eye. The 4 Horsemen Of The Electrocalypse series is lead off by The White Horse, which sees a March 1 release. Upon completion, the series will enjoy a double-vinyl LP release with each of legedary visionary artist Justin Totemical's prints (four in total), getting a full, prime placement along front, back, and insides of the album.

Today we premiere the opening track from The White Horse, which really underlines how Bluetech rebuilt his studio from the ground up with analog gear and modular synths. The richness and subtleties of the electronic sounds couldn't be culled from 1's and 0's, alone. This is warm, synthetic goodness filtered through stacks of cabinets, twisting around a rats nest of criss-crossed cables.

"Behold, A White Horse," has that signature Bluetech sound, fraught with intertwining melodies, but the raw bones of the track seems to pull influence from his own side project, Evan Marc, which dances around the minimalist house and techno territories. The rest of the four tracks on the EP likewise pull from 80's synthpop and sci-fi scoring (think Vangelis in Blade Runner to extend the Mead homage), with a focus on early electronic composition, and a strong foundation of theme.

Here's what Bartholomew had to say about the internal artist process in the run-up to this first installment's completion:

BluetechEmerging from a long period of creative drought and personal struggle, I was seeking a way to frame my own experience in a larger meta-narrative. Navigating through loss and painful transformation always feels apocalyptic, so I wanted to take the opportunity to not only frame my heartbreak in a larger context but also to really laugh at myself and experience the high drama of being human with a sense ofhumor. The Revelations of our little lives feel like the end of everything, and looking out of our windows of meat and bone we feel the ground rumble with the approach of the 4 Horsemen.

On a larger scale, it’s easy to draw parallels between the realities of modern life and the harbingers of ‘the end’ in John’s symbolic vision of the end of the Roman Empire. We are in the grasp of a dying empire watching the destruction of our biosphere, and yet... every seed must go to ground before new life emerges.

This series of releases is about watching it all burn with a smile, embracing the death of the self as an act of beauty in order to grow. By aligning my own story and our collective story with a prophetic vision of epic proportions, I was able to to regain my joy and (en)lighten my life.

Bluetech joins Papadosio for a series of shows on the west coast next month, before heading to Lucidity in Santa Barbara, CA at the beginning of April.

Pre-order The 4 Horseman Of The Electrocalypse: The White Horse now!



Tags: DowntempoElectronicaGlitchHouseTech HouseTechno