Hear Me Out: Todd Terje, "Delorean Dynamite”

By Courtesy Factmag

Within its first few seconds, with pulsing beats merging with a metronome’s tapping, “Delorean Dynamite” sets itself up to be a different listening experience. Compared to most American dance and techno, the new single by Norwegian disco artist Todd Terje is refreshing. The inventive use of scales and well-placed strokes from a guitar gives the song a different flavor and makes it the perfect introduction to Terje and his new album, “It’s Album Time.” The middle section is upbeat but lags and gets caught up in a forgettable repetition—this is disappointing, especially for a song with such an electric beginning. Throughout this section, the single loses its unique feel and seems set to fade into obscurity. Towards the end, however, the track regains its initial momentum, this time through a mellow groove that takes the song to its finish. The controlled finale serves as a smooth transition from music to silence and proves what is evident from the first dropped beat: this song is not a random mix of sounds but a meticulous product of thought and experiment.

“Delorean Dynamite” is a techno track with inspired orchestration, even if it doesn’t seem distinct from other songs in the genre. Still, it carries a muted quality guaranteed to charm.

“It’s Album Time” is out on April 8 via Olsen Records in the United States.