2.5/5 stars
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Xan Müller is making techno electro to play in clubs on starships. Your Ancient Future is a mix of future techno and DnB with vocals that hark back to late-’90s/early-2000s pop. However, it’s an uneasy mix and the balance is never quite there.
Müller commits to a singular musical aesthetic with his tracks, and what starts off as genuinely unique and interesting becomes exhausting as the album goes on.
The relentless pacing of tracks makes the album feel longer than it should, and while the production elements are strong throughout, the lyrics feel forced to match the ‘space’ aesthetic, particularly in ‘Home Planet’. The space-related metaphors for loneliness and loss also make it hard for a serious message to sink in.
The Sydney-based Müller is a talented producer, but Your Ancient Future doesn’t quite live up the promise of his earlier tracks like ‘Journey In CF Minor’.
The first half of the album is decisively stronger, with ‘Vision Of Myself’ and ‘Forgotten My Love’ both standout tracks – showing Müller has more to offer just yet.
Xan Müller’sYour Ancient Futureis out on Surveillance Party.
