Mark Nelson's second album as
Pan American has a similar sound to his debut, and a similar charm as well. Recorded with
Casey Rice,
360 Business/360 Bypass is a work of atmospheric, melancholy dub minimalism whose closest stylistic companions are experimental-techno producers (
Pole,
Basic Channel,
Senking), though with analogue elements instead of digital. Thanks to his large body of work with
Labradford,
Nelson knows how to structure long freeform tracks for maximum effect, and the result is a collection of tracks that are uniformly beatiful despite (or perhaps because of) their sparse feel. True,
"Code" would have been much more beautiful without the added vocals of
Mimi Sparhawk and
Al Sparhawk from
Low, and
Rob Mazurek's trumpet doesn't contribute to
"Double Rail" as much as it takes away from it, but
360 Business/360 Bypass is nevertheless an excellent piece of ambient minimalism. ~ John Bush
