Maciej Paszkiewicz returns as Undermathic and brings big, edge-of-symphonic electronica with him on Indistinct Face. The work here is dense and lands with considerable force. Paszkiewicz’s beats punch out their cadence; his sound layers are designed to bury the listener; and the scale ranges from passing moments of relative simplicity to panoramic vistas that all but burst into view. This is not your standard electronica release. It clearly aspires to be more while still utilizing familiar elements. “Colorize,” for example, has a distinct drum ‘n bass lineage, with booming percussion crushing out the foundation, but its swelling strings stand in counterpoint to take the overall piece into a fresh space with a cinematic feel. Speaking of which, “When?” has the kind of oversized dramatic chops that would make it perfect as a soundtrack piece for some dark, moody movie. Between orchestral string pads and drop-the-hammer punctuation from piano, this is another piece with sizable mental visuals. Mid-track there’s a shift of style which Paszkiewicz navigates smoothly, taking the track into a more modern-electronic space. It’s not as if he’s left the glitch side behind, however. There’s some nice work hiding in “Three Different Worlds,” the hurrying, skittering sounds coming in to spatter the background with texture. On Indistinct Face, however, that side of his style mostly resides in the back seat as a more contemporary instrumental approach takes hold. If you’re not big on drama and a bit of bombast, this may not your best introduction to Undermathic’s work. I’ve enjoyed its depth and potent emotion. It rewards deep listening with detail, but also often begs for extra volume to drive its impact home. Great work from Undermathic.

Available from Tympanik Audio.