[Above image credit: Houndstooth]
Throwing Snow’s second full length was recently announced to drop in January 2017 and ahead of its release “Cosms” was uploaded to Houndstooth’s Youtube channel. In “Cosms” the versatile producer has somewhat summoned the intricacies of Philip Glass and the minimalistic movement as a whole. The synth-laden piece initially explores textures which created by a single motif played on top of itself that eventually becomes dissonant and loosely suggests a loss of tonality. Then a tonic drone emanates and the cycle of the motifs repeats. Melodic modulations occur in tandem such as retrograde and rhythmic changes to triplets. Hypnotic swirling of the melodies become more tangible when the straight kick comes in providing rhythmic stability.
Order turning into disorder and then returning to order with the introduction of a new idea is a running theme here. As with a lot minimalist music, slow changes in various musical elements creates a sense of growth and dynamism and it is clear to see how the works of the likes of Steve Reich and previously mentioned, Philip Glass had an influence on electronic dance music that we know today.
Throwing Snow further develops the piece with a stylistic change after the breakdown changing the time signature to the familiar 4/4 in half time (akin to dubstep and trap). The weighty drones and typical drum framework of said styles ushers the piece to fade away.