Rising Arp: CERATONE Invites You Into His Captivating World Of ‘Artisanal Electronic Music’

In his music, you hear electronica with a beating heart (Credit: Courtesy of CERATONE)

How does one infuse corporeality into something inorganic? Can you produce nature unnaturally? Can the digitalised body of electronic music have a soul? With the advancements of production technology, it’s not startling to see the blending of these two worlds that traditionally sit on opposing ends of the spectrum. Right in the middle is CERATONE, a budding homegrown beatmaker whose hybrid sounds form a bridge between these realms. His craft is a display that you can dip your toes in both waters, and what he’s attained is equilibrium.

With vocal collaborators like Joy Alexis, CERATONE’s tracks become intimate slow jams with measured intrigue and sensuality (Credit: Courtesy of CERATONE)

‘Artisanal electronic music’ is what CERATONE calls his explorations in music, and it’s easy to understand why. His primarily instrumental compositions – although he’s collaborated with vocalists such as Joy Alexis – are more reminiscent of sound design rather than orthodox songcraft, experimenting with micro-nuances through subtle interplay between elements. They’re intricate yet dense, simmering at a languid but captivating pace that brings to mind the likes of Nosaj Thing and Shlohmo. He also describes his artistry as one that draws inspiration from “the excruciating beauty and passionate chaos of the natural world”, and you can hear this blooming in full effect with his self-released EP, Mycelia.

Like a network of fungi communicating with one another, the EP traverses a web of intimate and interconnected executions. The title track begins with chirping birds and aquatic droplets, planting your senses in a zen garden of sorts. With its padded beats, dewy pianos and starbursts of synths, it’s a lush electronica escape that wakes up bit by bit. “Ultraviolet”, on the other hand, features a more kinetic and animated movement, grounded by choppy, wooden percussions that stutter and trot. Less dormant and more brisk in temperament, the track is fully alive with its crystalline chimes and glistening glockenspiel-like textures.

To uncover the extensive level of detail in CERATONE’s tracks is to dive through repeated listens, and like a voyage through an otherworldly domain, you’ll catch onto something different every time.