In a genre where artists often struggle for identity, Jon Gaiser is one of those rare producers whose sound is instantly recognisable. The solo projects, collaborations and remixes he’s created over the course of his output on Minus, all contain a very specific signature to the point where his tracks come alive, communicating in a language that speaks with the strangest, most intoxicating of tongues. His highly anticipated debut album, Blank Fade, is no exception, and it sees him pushing the envelope even further resulting in the most comprehensive and impressive body of work he has accomplished so far. Alongside this he has taken full advantage of the vinyl, digital and CD formats on offer to not only produce a collection of stunning individual tracks but also to mix them together in a way that typically reflects his live performance. The body of the tracks remain the same but Gaiser works the seamless transitions to the max by extending the intros and outros to reproduce those magical live moments when a third place momentarily slips into view. In doing so he has created an experience where the whole piece becomes greater than the sum of the parts. Blank Fade represents a mixture of tried and tested ideas generated on the road (such as the show-stopping first single Trunkated) and new material written during Minus’ 10 weeks of silence. The main premise for the album is to start in one place and end up in another without realising and seeing how Gaiser’s music works like a soundtrack to some hidden nocturnal habitat, full of weird and wonderful creatures that stalk the darkness, it’s not long before we’re lost in the forest of his imagination. Eerie and atmospheric, Volve sets the scene perfectly, drifting amid a wash of distant echoes and ghostly EFX before a solitary kick drum punctures the darkness. Face Down continues the theme, gradually picking up the pace as the beats begin alternating around a tight, metronomic snare.