ONE CHILD POLICY - IT MIRRORED ME 12" (DIAN NAO)
This EP marks the first release on Cao’s label Dian Nao (电脑, “electronic brain”), which will serve as a platform for his own productions and future releases from forward-thinking electronic artists. “It Mirrored Me (它反映了我)” is a wall-of-sound techno epic. At the heart of the track lies 7 masterful layers of hypnotic, processed, and evolving TB-303 sequences paired alongside a deep sub bass progression and icy female vocal phrases. It was recorded using a self-modded x0xb0x (TB-303 clone) along with various unique sound design methods Cao created. “Absence (缺席)” is a moody psychedelic breakbeat belter. The intro paints an atmospheric picture using swirling synths and field recordings while building up the beat. The snappy liquid breaks paired alongside emotional detuned pads transport the listener to another dimension. Wisping across the track are introspective spoken samples open to interpretation that explore the melancholy of absence.