Operator

Released in 2016 after a seven-year hiatus, Operator represents a significant stylistic pivot for the Canadian duo MSTRKRFT. Moving away from the 'blog house' and indie-dance crossover sound of their previous work, Al-P and Jesse F. Keeler embraced a more brutalist, industrial-influenced aesthetic. The album was recorded using a heavy emphasis on modular synthesizers and hardware, resulting in a sound that is more 'analog' and 'live' than their digital-heavy predecessors. Critics, including those at AllMusic, noted the album's aggressive shift toward techno and EBM, often comparing its intensity to Keeler's other project, Death from Above 1979. The record features collaborations with vocalists like Ian Svenonius, but the voices are often treated as additional textures within the dense, distorted mix. Operator stands as a defiant statement against the EDM trends of its era, prioritizing grit and mechanical repetition over melodic payoffs.