Blog: Bwank!

Much like Victor Bermon and Minotaur Shock before him, Toronto-based electronic whiz Shaw-Han Liem, otherwise known as I am Robot and Proud, systematically assembles shards of swarming notes. Each symphonic strain—a puzzle piece comprised of blips, bloops and beats—is pieced together in a hyperactive yet thought-provoking manner. The premise alone prods the spirit of inquiry. 2008's debut Uphill City is, as the one-man-band's Myspace headline proudly proclaims, a collection of "songs from tiny pieces." The tedious process of mosaicking becomes clear in the album's title track,"Uphill City." Like the volatile particles of an atom, sequences [...]