Track Review: Chris McCormack – “Alien Industries”

London-based Chris McCormack is the rare electronic music producer with a relatively sparse discography, but the upside is that the stuff he does release tends to be special. His latest album, A Million Other Earths, is his most impressive work to date. A self-described soundtrack to “an imaginary film,” you might think you’ve already heard this kind of thing but the album is unexpectedly satisfying on an almost visceral level. Its cavernous beats, all-encompassing synths, dramatic flourishes (this being a soundtrack after all), and eerie vocal samples combine to provide over an hour’s worth of prehistoric ambient techno that would presumably sound equally at home in 2013 AD or BC. Many of the tracks are shorter vignettes, but “Alien Industries” is not only an excellent example of the album’s atmosphere but also a full-length song.