[Modern Love]

One characteristic of Claro Intelecto’s music I admire most is its immediacy and visceral structure. You’ll never need a music composition degree to untangle vast webs of overly complicated arrangements to find something to connect with. Starting with his 2004 Neurofibre album for Ai Records, Intelecto (aka Mark Stewart) put forth tunes whose unfussy techno progressions instantly lodged themselves in my brain — as if they’d always been there — while stirring my body. These instincts remained intact, if not further sharpened, after joining Modern Love’s ranks in 2005; his well received “Warehouse Sessions” 12″ series housed a powerful collection of floor fillers with ear-tingling lo-fi textures. But something has changed for Stewart on Metanarrative, his first album in four years. Its terseness (eight tracks, 40 minutes), unfortunate theme and home-listening slant have dulled what initially attracted me to Claro Intelecto, perhaps the result of over-thinking and poppier aspirations for the project.

Which is not to say Metanarrative is offensive to the ears so much as it won’t receive a lot of calls to “turn it up.” Stewart is strongest when he’s aiming for the dance floor; but despite the requisite kick drum and nods to dub techno sonorities, the majority of the tracks are built for before and after clubbing. The soft and vaporous pads of “Harsh Reality” and “Beautiful Death” or “Innocence”‘s melodic drizzles are drowsy and easy on the ears, if not for the kick pushing through the haze. No stranger to crafting dreary progressions, Intelecto’s attempt to do the same on “Before My Eyes” and “Gone to the Dogs” lacks bite and aggressive percussive backbone to keep listeners riveted. Even “Dependent,” the lone club-styled track (previously available as a 300 copy, single-sided 12″) feels pliable in its surroundings. One home-listening bright spot is album opener “Operation,” an odd and uplifting track whose swelling orchestral pads warm the air as metallic charges rebound from wall to wall. Although the tracks are cannily produced, the strictures of the album format and its assumed broader audience seem to stifle Stewart’s straightforward instincts.

According to the press sheet, [I generally don’t use these as sources because it’s often written by someone who appreciates the music but, having not made it themselves, tends to reach for themes/concepts that aren’t there. This time it seemed unavoidable.] the album is named Metanarrative because its tracks are supposed to tell a story. After repeated listens in all kinds of environments, the only tale I can tease out of the record is that “Beautiful Death” is an elegy for his recently passed grandmother, and even that detail comes courtesy of an interview with Richard Brophy. I can say that all the tracks do hang together under the same sonic umbrella. I know it’s difficult to convey much in instrumental electronic music, but even Metanarrative‘s programing seems absent of a story arc. Again, it feels like Stewart is second guessing.

Claro Intelecto took a big chance in leaving his dance floor home turf to make Metanarrative and he deserves credit for doing so. Unfortunately, the experiment leaves me feeling underwhelmed and wishing he would have played it safe instead of getting trapped in making an Album and all the accompanying theme/song length/aesthetic considerations. In the interview linked above, Stewart said something that seems almost ironic in light of this album. Brophy asked, “Do you think that there is a danger in over-intellectualising techno and that it should just be enjoyed in the moment?” Stewart replied, “There is a danger that you can go too deep, especially with electronic music, and get carried away with the concept. Sometimes people can be snobby, but to be honest, I’d rather make a killer groove, programme a great 4/4 beat…. Once music gets too complicated, that’s when there are problems.” I wish he would have applied his own advice and followed his gut.