Martin Enke's first release as Lake People was 2011's "Rusty Clockhands," a Get Physical-style jacker that fused a melancholy aura to minimal-minded rhythms. (The track boasted a few clicks and whirrs, too, perhaps left over from his previous IDM incarnation as Trickform.) But for most of us, Lake People's story begins with 2012's "Point In Time," a fantastic tech house track whose mellow ambience was catnip to DJs unafraid of the gentler end of the clubbing spectrum. The same could be said for Enke's soothing remixes of artists like Avatism, Lusine, and Dixon and Guy Gerber.
Purposely Uncertain Field is Enke's first LP, and it sees him broadening his sonic palette while retaining the introspective, emotive feel that characterizes his music. The opening track, "Escape Velocity," is a hypnotic groover, propelled by a linear charge and shimmering keys—as with much of Enke's work, there's something heavenly hovering in the background. "Drifting Red" is another blissful beauty, but might be too sweet for some palettes—the track's synth lead, while lovely in its hollowed-out way, borders on overkill. Still, it's redeemed by a wistful melody, which also suffuses the album's three brief interludes, "Entangled," "Orb" and "Bora."
The syncopated kick drum of "Drifting Red" gives the song a slight electro feel, something that really comes to the fore on the vaguely ominous "Lamb Shift." But even here, Enke manages to evoke the rich spaciousness that permeates all of Purposely Uncertain Field. "Glease 29," another electro-tinged number, is a bit more abstract, with hymnal chords conveying a sense of lonely wonder. "Illuminated" laces acidic pulsations through a driving rhythm lightened by syncopated handclaps and hi-hats. "Blackpoint" is a beast of a track, with a percussive thrust that anchors its synth washes. On the closer, "Distance," Enke pairs glitch with grandeur—a gorgeous coda to an album defined by depth and emotion.
