Kirk DeGiorgio presents As One Elegant Systems

• Words: Peter Nicholson
• Label: Versatile
• XLR8R Rating: /10

Kirk Degiorgio sounds like a happy man. Buoyantly chugging techno on "Rumours," blissfully floating ambiance on "Luca‘s Smile" (named for his baby boy), and even song titles like "This Precious Life" and "Magical Thinking" point to a man who is at peace. Thankfully, this veteran jazz-techno fusionist still tortures his analog synths enough to provoke some stunning sounds: the sticky bass of "Response Ability" cries out for a massive sound system turned to 11, and the intricately woven pads and hissing clicks of the title track astound like the view through a microscope. It seems criminal to ask for just a dash more (a bit of grit, a moment of menace), but what are critics if not criminals?