Max Cooper - “A Model of Reality"

SXSW 2023 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Jon Hopkins, Godspeed! You Black Emperor, Max Richter

The difference between droll and brilliant ambient music can be a matter of inches, so it’s worth noting the details in Max Cooper’s full, affirming catalog. Minimal electronic percussion, thinly-cut slices of rhythm, and soundscape synths are the key elements in Cooper’s music. Take a moment to just focus on just on one, any one. Textures, volume changes, and melodies intercut each of those areas, the result being an atmosphere that is inviting, interesting, and moving without a lyric needed. It’s unique how animated Max Cooper’s ideas are throughout his records, the latest being 2022’s aptly-titled Unspoken Words, instrumental voices constantly reaching out without losing connection to each song’s core. This quality gives Cooper’s music the same qualifications as post-rock composers, molding mood through sonic ebbs and flows within a hypnotic sonic stew. It’s worth noting how prolific the English electronic artist has been since his debut EP fifteen years ago, carefully evolving into the precise and explorative artist he is today. (Kevin McStravick)