100 Unheralded Albums from 2010

Harmonious Bec: Her Strange Dreams (Monotreme, 11/16/10)

Harmonious Bec: “Progress”

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With members who go by ZaMaRoo and From Vapor to Water, Harmonious Bec is a relatively mysterious Japanese duo that makes exotic, far-reaching IDM.  Her Strange Dreams is the duo’s debut, and it’s a marvelous first effort.

The material is packed with hyperactive melodies, glitchy cut-ups, atmospheric effects, and sporadic dissonance.  When put together, it channels more than a dozen electronic sub-genres — it builds upon some of the best genre-smashing artists that electronic music has to offer, such as Aphex Twin.  Undoubtedly, Her Strange Dreams is one of the best electronic releases of the year.