Bleep

Classically trained experimentalist Aārp releases his compositionally expansive and pointedly political debut album via InFiné. ‘Propaganda’ is an album that rewards repeat listens and inspires research, pushing listeners to look for the truth beyond the headlines. Each song title is a direct quote taken from different examples of these moments, from George W. Bush to Margret Thatcher and French philosopher Gilles Deleuze to the infamous Oxycontin commercial by Purdue Pharma. With ‘Propaganda’ Aārp is asking his listeners to consider fact, open their minds and to think before spreading questionable news in an era rife with deception, when fabricated click-bait holds more currency than expertise. The title ‘Propaganda’ is inspired in part by the death of a young man in Nantes who drowned following a police altercation at "Fête de la Musique" in 2019. Despite the fact that he was only dancing and there was clear evidence of negligence, the media campaign that followed cleared all involved and disinformation spread, distorting the truth and allowing French authorities to evade any consequence. This blatant and very recent example of press propaganda lead Aārp to explore a multitude of moments in history, each one informing a single track from his new record. Musically dense and littered with glistening electronics, ‘Propaganda’ tells a story as it weaves between epic ambient soundscapes to droning, beat-infused dance. A backbone of glitchy industrial sounds allows it to delve into some dark places while retaining its upbeat and accessible mood.