Higher Intelligence Agency reworks Temple Rat's atmospheric ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’
The originally ambient cut gets an added dose of rhythmic IDM beats for ‘Kāthā Remixes’
Following up the success of ‘Kāthā V.A.’, Thailand's Siamese Twins Records have released ‘Kāthā Remixes’ that features four reworks from Jakarta’s Jonathan Kusuma, Berlin’s Konduku and Birmingham’s Higher Intelligence Agency — the experimental project of UK electronica pioneer, Bobby Bird.
The original compilation is an enlightening blend of ambient soundscapes from eight pan-Asian artists comprising sounds of drones, live instruments and esoteric textures. The remixes are an extension of its transcendental ambiance, calling attention to Kusuma’s elegantly balanced mixture of obscure and enlightening percussions plus Konduku’s trademark goosebump-inducing drum patterns.
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Higher Intelligence Agency’s take on Temple Rat’s ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ teems with his signature style of synthetic modulations, blending machine-made reverberations into the initially atmospheric and airy number. Growing up near Chengdu, Yuxin Mei aka Temple Rat is a master of the erhu, a Chinese two-stringed bowed fiddle, whose haunting resonance she fuses into minimal, airy compositions.
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The Berlin-based artist’s cut gets an added dose of rhythmic beats as cosmic veteran Higher Intelligence Agency’s riveting patterns play throughout almost six minutes of pure IDM ecstasy. Celestial pads and muted droning sounds ripple throughout, showcasing different a different yet familiar meditative vibe as to what Temple Rat would usually bestow upon listeners.
Listen to Temple Rat ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights (Higher Intelligence Agency Mix)’ below.
Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.
