The birth of a sonic ecosystem
Copenhagen-based producer Anastasia Kristensen has taken a bold step in her career this year with the release of her debut album, Bestiarium Sombre. Released via the Intercept label—home to artists such as Tsepo, Coloray, DJ Aya, and Ineffekt—this long-play work represents a conscious departure from the rigid structures that often dominate current club music. Far from the predictability of main-stage techno, Kristensen has built a parallel universe where synthesis and rhythm take on a life of their own, forming a wild and vibrant ecosystem.
Anthropomorphic design and field recordings
The conceptual core of Bestiarium Sombre lies in what the artist defines as anthropomorphic music. Throughout the nine tracks that make up the record, each piece assumes the identity of a creature or biological entity. Titles such as 'Black-Footed Ferret', 'Sulphur Mustang', or 'Silver Cuttlefish' are not mere poetic flourishes, but precise descriptors of the character of each composition. To achieve this unique personality, the sound design process required an intensive phase of acoustic collection and tactile experimentation.
I used sounds of hydraulic mechanisms, recorded magpie calls, and many elements from real life, such as broken glass. I am deeply drawn to the physicality of sound in electronic music.
— Anastasia Kristensen
Breaking with post-pandemic monotony
The motivation behind this stylistic shift stems from a personal need to break with habits acquired in the industry. As she has recently detailed in conversations with the specialized press, after the impact of the pandemic, the artist felt creative exhaustion in the face of conventional formulas. This dissatisfaction drove her to explore influences that escape linear techno, integrating elements of the British electronic scene. Among the sonic currents that nourish the backbone of the album are:
- The syncopated groove and rhythmic elasticity of jungle.
- The sub-bass textures characteristic of early UK bleep.
- The structural complexity and cerebral design of IDM (Intelligent Dance Music).
This amalgamation of genres allows the percussion to feel organic, emulating the erratic but calculated movement of the fauna that inspires the project, without ever losing focus on the dancefloor.
Organic mutation in physical format
Beyond its digital distribution, the project has been conceived with a strong visual and material identity, materializing in a limited edition on transparent yellow marbled vinyl. With Bestiarium Sombre, Anastasia Kristensen not only expands her own production horizon but demonstrates that the electronic avant-garde still possesses a vast, unexplored territory. The album stands as tangible proof that advanced sound design can coexist with the dynamism of clubbing, offering an immersive experience that challenges both the body and the intellect.
