Enter POCKETKNIFE, a DJ known for rock remixes that I was not familiar with before crossing paths with his ““piano not piano house music” created solely with a prepared piano and raw drum programming” under the moniker of BOONLORM. And you get just what is described from BOONLORM. Fans of minimal electronic dance music crafted from interesting sounds: you have to check this out. The beats are often simple (but build and build), and it’s probably safe to say that you haven’t heard a house record like STRING FIGURES.

Released last year by POCKETKNIFE’s own WILDE CALM and just re-released by that label alongside Japanese label SNOW DOG RECORDS, the record finds this Brooklyn producer working with polyrhythmic sounds that might remind of you KONONO NO. 1 or some other rhythm heavy, semi-electronic oddity. “Carpet People” is a prime example of this sound. It stutters to a start but once it gets going you’ll be moving your body whether you like it or not. “Lavender Donut” builds and builds riding the kick and hi-hat. The piano does double duty here functioning as part of the rhythm, and providing some melody as well. The syncopation and odd timbre of the prepared piano make for an intoxicating combination that I am pretty enthusiastic about. Unlike some experiments in off-brand electronic dance music, I could see this experiment being built upon to create further interesting stuff. I’m into this.