Cate Brooks Prismatics
Cate Brooks's Prismatics arrives as a compact study in retrofuturism, where nostalgia and hauntology collide with meticulous modular craft. The Quietus singles out “Chipset” and the title track “Prismatics” as the album's clearest statements, describing them as immaculate, slightly eerie time capsules that marry tinny drums, Casio-tinged synthesis and idiosyncratic melodies.
Across one professional review, critics praise Brooks' command of classic gear and modular synthesis, noting how themes of technology and commodification are rendered through vaporwave aesthetics and hypnagogic, pixelated charm. The review awards a consensus score of 80/100 from a single professional review, framing the record as a successful fusion of past and present that avoids slipping into ironic pastiche. Standout tracks highlighted by reviewers include “Chipset”, which coalesces archaic instrumentation with clean synths, and “Prismatics”, noted for its melodic singularity; other moments such as “Technology Suite” and “Blue Chip Fever” register as complementary explorations of the album's themes.
While the coverage is currently limited in breadth, the critical consensus suggests Prismatics is a thoughtfully produced, hauntological work that rewards repeated listens and secures Brooks' place among contemporary practitioners of retro-tech aesthetics. For readers searching for a clear verdict on Prismatics review pages or wondering what the best songs on Prismatics are, “Chipset” and “Prismatics” emerge as the most frequently praised highlights.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Chipset
1 mention
"On her standout track ‘Chipset’, she coalesces tinny drums, archaic instrumentation, and impeccably clean synthesizers"— The Quietus
Prismatics
1 mention
"particularly on the title track."— The Quietus
Technology Suite
1 mention
"Brooks masterfully navigates the realms of classic gear and modular synthesizers"— The Quietus
On her standout track ‘Chipset’, she coalesces tinny drums, archaic instrumentation, and impeccably clean synthesizers
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Blue Chip Fever
Living Data
Chipset
Econet
Delta Waves
Zarch
Cog on Cog
Prismatics
Energens
Technology Suite
Future Free
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 1 critic who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Cate Brooks leans into retrofuturism on Prismatics, making the best songs - notably “Chipset” and the title track “Prismatics” - sound like immaculate, slightly eerie time capsules. Hayley Scott writes in a measured, analytical voice that admires Brooks' mastery of classic gear and modular synthesis while noting the album's hypnagogic, pixelated charm. The review praises “Chipset” as a standout for coalescing tinny drums, archaic instrumentation and clean synths, and it highlights the title track's Casio-tinged synthesis and idiosyncratic melody. Overall the critic frames the best tracks as faithful homages that bridge past and present without sliding into irony, making them definitive answers to queries about the best tracks on Prismatics.
Key Points
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The best song is “Chipset” because it perfectly fuses tinny drums, archaic instrumentation and clean synthesizers into a hauntological time capsule.
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The album's core strength is its faithful, non-satirical homage to 1980s corporate electronica, bridging past gear and present production with hypnagogic, nostalgic synthscapes.