Filter is doing something different with electronic music: sometimes it's cold, technical, distant. One is warm and ultra intimate, the kind of track that reminds you what synthesisers can do when they are used to communicate something that truly matters. It is something relatively special that Xavier B and Phineas Ashcroft have created here. There is a softness to the track that immediately stands out. It feels personal and close, like the music is quietly trying to reach someone directly.
The quality of the production is excellent. The arpeggiated leads shimmer and add some depth to the bass, which really gives the whole thing some momentum. The sound is razor-sharp, roomy and film-like, and the textures of the atmosphere draw one into the music and don't stand in one's way. All details are carefully thought through and considered.
The vocals sit on top of all of the things with a lovely smooth melodic flow and the vocoders that have been added in to selected phrases are an attractive option. They bring out an almost ethereal atmosphere to the most poignant of moments, and they're ideal for the subject matter.
The topic is very moving. One is about that particular sense of being held by the person you love and knowing you're no longer two. The moment of complete union. It's an incredibly human experience to try and capture in music, and filter handles it with real grace.
The architecture of the sound is clearly influenced by their sounds, Kraftwerk, Fischerspooner, Kite. But One does not sound like a tribute. Instead, filter takes those inspirations somewhere more personal and intimate.This is a studio project designed for just these sort of times. Private, emotional and very pretty. One should really be heard by many more people.
