Although it begins with a bracing bit of crackle and buzz, Xerrox is far removed from the pinprick percussion and sub-bass thump of so much of his past work. On this latest CD, Nicolai navigates a gentler, almost pastoral musical terrain, full of gently pulsing rhythms and simple melodic patterns. The omnipresent static typically comes in soft, swirling clouds rather than sharp, percussive bursts, bathing the listener in finely wrought hiss. It's a beguiling pretty record, which is not something you'd necessarily expect from a conceptual project so tightly focused on the process of digital reproduction.
Its unerring prettiness is also its greatest weakness. It's an immensely pleasurable disc, but the ideas underpinning Xerrox promise more than gauzed, seductive beauty. Nicolai is more than capable of fusing high concept with aesthetic enjoyment -- just look at his previous Transall. Ultimately, Xerrox, Vol. 1 falls somewhat short of the mark it sets for itself