Nerzhin – Analog Harm

Each month we shine the spotlight on one SoundGym member by reviewing one of their tracks for our Music Spot feature. This month we focus on 'Analog Harm', by Nerzhin.

Nerzhin is the pseudonym of Mexican producer César García, and 'Analog Harm' is the lead track from his Harm EP, released back in July. Garcia's online presence is shrouded in mystery. We know that he's based in Mexico City, and we have one photo of him, but that's about it. His Soundcloud contains a dozen tracks but no bio, he has no website, and his twitter is dormant.

That means that all we have to go on is the music – and perhaps that's no bad thing. 'Analog Harm' is an awkward, spiky combination of electronica and progressive guitar music. In the foreground, we have an arpeggiating synth that doesn't always move in the way you expect it to. Backing this up we have a drum rhythm in 6/8 time that is pure post-rock. Added into the mix is a squelchy, breathy vocoder that recalls Air's '10,000Hz Legend', and a bass line that often veers into a dissonant territory.

It all makes for a bewitching and unexpected combination, and the fact that the whole enterprise is so mysterious only adds to the unusual atmosphere that García has sculpted here. 

You can go and check out Nerzhin's Soundcloud page here, and a dig a little deeper into his interesting and eclectic back-catalogue.