Zenonesque
Psy · 2005 · 118 to 132 BPM · also known as Zenon Sound, Dark Progressive Psy
The sound of the Australian label Zenon Records, mid 2000s, now used as an adjective the scene prefers to progressive psy dark. It does not descend from psy-prog: that link is a common error born from a similar tempo, the sound actually coming from slowed dark psy crossed with hypnotic techno, with a glitchy edge from downtempo. Sensient set its grammar: rubbery mid-tempo basses, granular textures, muffled industrial atmospheres, a slow tribal groove. There is no lead melody, tension coming from the sound material itself. The scene claims it as its own thing; others call it a branch of psy-prog, a debated lineage this entry keeps open.
6 reference tracks
- Krumelur: Minimal Animal (2005)
- Sensient: Madman's Playroom (2009)
- Atomic Pulse: Waves (2009)
- Tetrameth: The Eclectic Benevolence (2008)
- Fractal Joke: Welcome To The Cloud (2022)
- Slip Hypnotic: Yazon (2022)
At a glance
- Tempo: 118 to 132 BPM
- First appeared: around 2005
- Machines: Ableton Live, Xfer Serum, Enregistreur de terrain
- The sound: Basse mid-tempo caoutchouteuse, Micro-FX granulaires, Enregistrements de terrain traités, Réverbes sombres courtes, Percussions organiques échantillonnées
- Labels: Zenon Records, Occulta Records, Techgnosis
- Key artists: Sensient, Tetrameth, Grouch, Krumelur, Merkaba, Hypnagog
Producing Zenonesque
Play between 126 and 132 bpm, the slowest of the dancing psy genres, with a slow tribal groove, swing on percussion, ghost notes, patterns shifting by texture every few bars rather than by melodic build, the bass bouncing rather than rolling. Build a round, deep kick with little click, often with no snare at all, replaced by a dull rimshot or wood hit through a dark reverb, plus sampled skin drums and shakers in swung sixteenths, and granular micro FX, clicks and drips with random pitch, standing in for extra percussion. For bass, build the rubbery sound on a saw, low-pass with raised resonance for bounce, an elastic offbeat pattern of varied note lengths, soft saturation and a slow filter LFO. Layer granulated field recordings, filtered industrial drones, and a few short, dark stabs in place of any lead.
The full production course, in French: tempo, drums, bass, sounds, arrangement, mix, plugins and machines, and a step by step start.
Frequently asked
What is Zenonesque?
The sound of the Australian label Zenon Records, mid 2000s, now used as an adjective the scene prefers to progressive psy dark. It does not descend from psy-prog: that link is a common error born from a similar tempo, the sound actually coming from slowed dark psy crossed with hypnotic techno,…
What tempo is Zenonesque played at?
Between 118 and 132 BPM.
Who are the key Zenonesque artists?
Sensient, Tetrameth, Grouch, Krumelur, Merkaba, Hypnagog.
