Alley Catss – Withdwr

14-year old Hungarian producer Alley Catss, whose music and overall attitude towards the world seem to be centered around nothing, released his latest batch of sonic weirdness earlier this month.

Withdwr is a collection of 8 beautifully crafted experimental lullabies that will soothe your ears and brain with their raw, unpolished softness.

From the opening “Enter”, the listener is drawn into a whirlpool of sounds that reveal a remarkably effortless, yet careful take on composition. I’ve always had my reservations for booming, overcompressed music (this boy seems to use a lot of compression in his tracks if I’m not mistaken?). It can occupy way too much space between your ears to let you enjoy it. Curiously, this is not the case here. Even faster, noisier pieces like “Memory” or “Flowers” don’t have that jarring, disturbing feel we can often experience with this kind of experimental electronica.

Actually, if there is anything someone may find unsettling about Alley Catss, it has to be his frail age. Yet, it may well be the reason why his music feels so lush and alive, unburdened by the numerous (un)conscious influences and perceptions that tend to pile up as years go by. So my advice is close your eyes and take a dip in this bubbling youthful spring. Playfulness like this is always welcome.