Bitchin Bajas: Bajascillators

Just like art, music's only limitation is the size of the canvas, and the Bitchin' Bajas have taken this to heart.  Utilizing a minimalist technique, the experimental Chicago-based trio has employed dots and loops to create an endless horizon of sound rooted in space over melody. Their latest release, Bajascillitators, is a slightly more accessible continuation of their tested paradigm.  

Bascillatators certainly has Bitchin' Bajas trademark open-endedness.  It begins with sparse electronics, and glacially builds and swells to a repetitious denouement.  Each segment develops like a musical universe, culminating in an infinite starscape of symbiotic sounds:  Bajascillatators is an exceptionally delicate ecosystem of music, which each little blip playing a critical role in the final piece. Each track seems to subtly envelope the next, creating sonic waves. However, the overall sound is not linear, like a series of waves, but more expansive; fleshing outwardly in all directions...an audio fractal, if you will.  

At 47 minutes, Bajascillatators is a relatively concise album, at least for Bitchin' Bajas standards.  While the trio is still unhurried, they are able to get to their target area more quickly than their other efforts.  It is unclear as to whether this was a conscious decision or just natural development of the beats, but the brevity certainly allows for easier active listening.

Make no mistake, The Bajas, and Bajascillators is not for everyone.  Because of the band's focus on zone, rather than structure, the listening experience is more about mood than musicality.  Subsequently, there is a formlessness that is amazing to some, but leaves very little catchiness to chew on.  However, Bajascillitators makes for incredible passive listening, or even better, an atmospheric headphone experience.  Headphones go a long way with the record, as you are able to hone in on all the tiny pieces of sonic stars that create this twinkling galaxy of music.