Shell Wave
Description
Two years after the acclaimed Crash Recoil, Anthony Child (aka Surgeon) returns to Tresor with Shell~Wave, a new LP that captures a deeply personal journey. Maintaining a minimalist setup and a ‘live in studio’ ethos from his previous work, Shell~Wave lays bare Child’s evolving relationship with techno. Rather than answering in words what techno means to him, Surgeon lets the eight tracks—ranging from the intricate Infinite Eye to the potent Soul Fire—speak for themselves, each being a unique, single-take exploration of his signature brand of hard, minimal techno.
The album is split, emotionally, by Dying, a centerpiece track without beats, where mantra-like vocals and reverberating effects amplify introspection. Throughout Shell~Wave, echoes of dub production emerge, such as on Divine Shadow and Empty Cloud, thanks to new equipment and delay effects. While the spirit of Crash Recoil lingers, Child evolves his process and instruments, melding innovative approaches with techniques reminiscent of 1960s producer Joe Meek and reggae’s 1970s era. This constant interplay of past and present results in music that feels like controlled ‘time travel’—with loops, delays, and effects branching into distinct quantum moments alongside the persistent theme of circularity.
All these concepts are vividly embodied in the album’s cover art by Jazz Szu-Ying Chen, evoking water movement, sound waves, and organic marine shells—a fitting visual metaphor for Shell~Wave’s blend of memory, exploration, and sonic depth.
Tracklist
2. / A2 Soul Fire 06:06
3. / B1 Divine Shadow 05:36
4. / B2 Forgotten Gods 06:12
5. / B3 Dying 03:05
6. / C1 Infinite Eye 06:26
7. / C2 Triple Threat 06:35
8. / D1 Empty Cloud 04:29
9. / D2 Fall 04:57
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