Stars and Dust by Yagya (Review)

The atmospheric techno that Aðalsteinn Guðmundsson creates under the Yagya moniker exists somewhere between Bvdub’s euphoric ambient house and the chillier, more subdued sounds of Echospace and Deepchord. As such, it can be easy to overlook — and truth be told, I was more than content to let Stars and Dust settle comfortably into the background during my initial listens.

Yagya’s music is deceptive, though. Guðmundsson’s beats and ambient drifts certainly make for nice aural wallpaper while, say, blogging or coding at 2:00 am. But it can surprise you. Even after I thought I had Stars and Dust figured out, new details kept coming to my attention, like the blend of dubby reverberations and angelic vocals on “Motes in the Moonlight” or “Young Suns of NGC 7129”’s melancholy piano refrain.

Stars and Dust’s finest moment occurs during “Through the Sculptor Group” (most of the song titles reference astronomical terms and phenomena) as an eerie melody slowly makes its presence felt amidst pulsing beats and gaseous synth swirls. It’s a minor detail but one executed so flawlessly that the minute you hear it, it totally transforms the song — and makes you reevaluate everything you’ve heard so far.