Enlightenment Machine [LP]

Inspired by Brion Gysin and William S. Burroughs' flickering Dreamachine -- a stroboscopic device meant to be looked at with eyes closed -- producer Can Oral, aka Khan, returned to the experimental techno business with his 2014 release The Enlightenment Machine. Odd thing is, for an album so inspired by reaching altered states, this slow roller is surprisingly pop and plain with "You Like Like I Like," "Everybody Is a Bell," and "Pick a Point" ("... and you will be my destination") all coming off as standard songs, just delivered at a sluggish pace. Lyrics stick with the theme of transformation, and track titles like "Message in a Coke Bottle" and "The End (Will Be Pretty)" recall the cheeky Khan of yore (he set up an honest-to-gosh telephone sex line for his 1999 release 1-900-Get-Khan). ~ David Jeffries