Sam Prekop titled his new solo album Open Close after two opposing movements – yet it all feels entirely coherent. That’s because his music thrives on a flowing, circular motion, one that unfolds without breaks, spikes, or dramatic gestures. Instead, analog synthesizer patterns evolve through subtle permutations: repetition without stagnation, loops without inertia.
Compared to Sons Of (2022), his collaborative album with John McEntire, the beats on Open Close are noticeably more subdued. The drum machine elements amount to little more than a rhythmic pulse – their primary role is to underscore the melodic clarity of Prekop’s sequences without ever overpowering them. The sound remains reduced, but never austere – each element seems perfectly placed.
That this music could, in theory, go on forever is not a lack of development, but rather a reflection of its inner balance. In just 36 minutes, Prekop makes the circular whole, the open closed – leaving the impression that everything has been said, without saying too much.
