Review: There's much to like about Andreas 'Andi' Otto, not least his passion for playing a "unique, sensor-extended cello" known as a "fello". There was also much chatter online about the quality of his first single as Andi Otto, March 2016's Bangalore Whispers. That track kicks off VIA, a fine album of evocative, if occasionally fuzzy, downtempo grooves. It's a set that contains much "fello" action, alongside pleasingly wonky electronics, off-kilter drum patterns, krautrock style vintage synthesizers, and a range of exotic global influences. The album also contains nods to all manner of musical styles, from experimental hip-hop and IDM, to lounge music, Bhangra, and Persian grooves.
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