The aspect which flourishes the most within the structure of the album is the subdivision that breaks the beat on tracks like “Maui Mindfunk” and “You Been Sleeping” - ever idiosyncratic, his more fast-paced moments of choppy samples, stuttered vocals, or all-out sound design insanity are reminiscent of both a powerful dance music wizard and an indie electronica connoisseur, a colorful combination seen far too rarely in computer music. “Truthful Trustfall” and “Psyche Rising” both have a firm sense of drum and bass, keeping pace with the rhythm while engaging with natural instruments like bird song. “Adorbitable” balances its subdivided notes with an growing boom and clap that seems to create a reverb-laden atmosphere of fuzz, but never becomes too aggressive to distract the listener from its distinctive breaks.

Another powerful trait of Along the Arc is the funky synth lines that have been the main feature in Erothyme sets for so long. Developed through his long history with piano and his constant cleaving to inspired improvisation, tracks like “SynchroNIFTY” and “Rhythm Sanctified” will have longtime fans squealing with joy. “Leap Across” plays with both the most soulful and furious of his funk emotions, sustaining itself magnificently across an epic 5-and-a-half minute runtime, peaking in its final gasps like a bright, burning flare before settling back into a vocal echo chamber, steadily handing the baton to the rippling bass of “Truthful Trustfall”. Bobby has the funk (he is, in fact, a soul) and considers it part of the project’s roots, but rarely does he release it on album material – previously it had only been the main feature on the EPs Four Weird Tracks Record Labels Hate and Inner Space Overhaul, and occasionally on the brilliant compilation of odds and ends called Bobby Steps.



What makes the Erothyme project unique is not just the constant use of his field recorder and sound design chops to innovate novel sonic elements, nor is it his slavish devotion to the delicate beauty of his aesthetic, nor even his cheerful and relatable conversation when at a gig and his connection with his fans. The unlikely synchronicity of all these traits is rare, to be sure, but what pushes Bobby over the edge into a territory all his own is the sheer emotional strength of his music. You can feel the forest, see the sky, hear the river, because he believes in the emotional power of these things. You can sense the tender openness in his voice, casual in “Vibr808” and affected in “You Been Sleepin”. You can embrace the aching, worshipful perspective expressed through melody and pulsing sub-bass, and be moved, even to tears. One of the most meaningful artists I have ever met, nobody holds a candle to Bobby's Erothyme project, both in terms of personal, audible growth and refusal to compromise the central ideals of his artistry. It is his, and his alone, and we are the lucky ones who get to know about him and dance in the soft glow of his light. Along the Arc is a well-thought move designed to extend both his performance career and his release catalogue to new heights, satisfying old fans and making new ones for a potent new year of growth. Long live the Perpetual Victory Machine!

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