In “Par Manque de Temps” by **Arbee Monkey**, beat and melody play a cat and mouse game. There’s a deep synth tone, like something that might not have been out of place from a mid-1980s pop group, but it’s used for if not dirge-like effect, then certainly something atmospheric, even maudlin. It plays against a beat that’s only slightly more fleshed out than a click track. But as the piece proceeds, the roles change. At first the tone exerts a rhythmic intent, suddenly pulsing, and then the beat dissolves, eventually flanging and losing itself in its own atmospheric foray.
The piece is the opening of Arbee’s *Libre Arbitre*, released on Recycled Plastics. The full album is at [recycledplastics.bandcamp.com](http://recycledplastics.bandcamp.com/album/libre-arbitre), there’s a suite of remixes (by Darren Harper, among others) at [soundcloud.com/recycledplastics](https://soundcloud.com/recycledplastics/sets/bc13-remixes), and a CDR at [milieu-music.com](http://store.milieu-music.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=arbee&product_id=153).
Track originally posted for free download at [soundcloud.com/arbeemonkey](https://soundcloud.com/arbeemonkey/par-manque-de-temps). More from the musician, who is based in Québec City, Canada, at [twitter.com/arbeemonkey](https://twitter.com/#!/arbeemonkey).
Thanks Marc for this great description of the track. You do put in words what happens in this track like no one else. This disquiet.com post is really appreciated !!