Pittsburgh producer/musician Anthony Paterra, who also plays in synth-rock duo Zombi, returns with the title track to his second solo album as Majeure. Standing tall at 11 and a half minutes, "Solar Maximum" is thoroughly deserving of its name, warming slowly and surely like the rising sun. Like the Krautrock cousin of Oni Ayhun's techno masterpiece "OAR003-B", it reveals ever-mutating layers of laser-cut intricacy that draw the ear deeper. The addition of Paterra's trademark drumming around the halfway mark really brings it all together, providing a welcome earthly anchoring to his cosmic adventuring.

[from Solar Maximum; out October 16 via Temporary Residence]