Extended Environments by Interconnected: A Sonic Journey That Sticks With You
Let’s get one thing straight—this album isn’t your typical electronic release. Extended Environments, dropped in 2019 by the UK-based artist collective Interconnected, feels more like a conversation with sound than just another beat-driven record. Released under Neotantra (a label known for its experimental edge), this project dances between ambient textures and experimental quirks, leaving you somewhere between calm and curious.
The artwork by Nick Edell sets the tone perfectly—it’s abstract but not pretentious, kinda like those moments when you zone out staring at clouds. The tracks themselves? They’re not here to hold your hand; they want you to wander off into their world. And trust me, once you do, it’s hard to leave.
Two tracks stuck with me in particular—Multicolour and Answering Machine.
Multicolour hits different. It starts slow, almost hesitant, as if it’s figuring itself out while you listen. Then BAM—layers of synths bloom into something lush and kaleidoscopic. I swear, there’s a moment around the three-minute mark where everything clicks together so beautifully that my brain went “ohhhhh” without me even realizing it. It’s dreamy yet grounded, like walking through a forest at dawn with sunlight filtering through the trees. Honestly, I’ve looped this track way too many times because it just feels alive.
Then there’s Answering Machine. This one’s weirder—and I mean that in the best possible way. Imagine old-school voicemail tones mashed up with glitchy beats and distant echoes. At first, it sounds chaotic, like someone accidentally spliced random audio files together. But stick with it, and suddenly it all makes sense. There’s an eerie intimacy to it, like eavesdropping on a stranger’s forgotten messages. It’s haunting but oddly comforting, like finding beauty in scraps of discarded memories.
The rest of the album keeps the vibe going strong. Tracks like Gat Mk2 and Transport keep things fresh with shifting rhythms and unexpected twists, while Species slows things down, letting you breathe before diving back in. Each piece has its own personality, but they all feel connected—like little fragments of a bigger story waiting to be pieced together.
What really stands out about Extended Environments is how unapologetically human it feels. Sure, it’s electronic music, but it doesn’t rely on flashy drops or overproduced polish. Instead, it invites you to sit with it, think, and maybe even feel a little lost along the way. That’s rare these days, especially in a genre that can sometimes lean toward cold perfectionism.
Here’s the kicker though—listening to this album made me realize how much we crave imperfection. Life isn’t perfect, right? So why should our music be? Maybe that’s why Extended Environments resonates so deeply—it mirrors the messy, unpredictable rhythm of real life. Or maybe I’m just overthinking it. Either way, this album’s got soul, and that’s worth holding onto.
Oh, and fun fact: apparently Nick Edell also did the artwork. If I ever meet him, I’m gonna ask if he had any idea his cover art would match the music this well. Probably not, but hey—that’s art for ya.
