Hectic Zeniths is the work of producer/multi-instrumentalist Adam Morgan Prince. Taking the name from an anagram for the German word “zeitschtichten,” which means “layers of time,” this album came together of the course of the last three years. Prince has released other work under the name of amplifya, but those were short remixes or EPs, nothing close to the complex and complete listening experience that Hectic Zeniths presents. This album is simply one of the most beautiful and moving instrumental hip hop/electronic albums I’ve come across in years.

For the project, Prince built the songs on piano, then enlisted the help of Patrick Bailey on violin, Dave Cohen on guitar and bass, and The Yetti on drums. He then filled in the songs with vinyl samples, synths, and other random sounds. From the very beginning of the album, it is apparent that Prince is not just a talented songwriter, but arranger and producer as well. The album covers a lot of ground, but it doesn’t meander, finding a perfect length with eleven tracks that doesn’t feel too short or too long. He demonstrates a comfort level with a wide variety of sounds and instrumentations that allows him to make some really interesting and unobvious choices, but he also knows when to keep things simple and let a melody line or beat play out. Sometimes he’ll kick a basic funky 4⁄4 beat and play with elements on top of it, other times he’ll chop and play with the rhythm a la Prefuse 73. There will be times when everything will drop out and just the piano will carry the melody and things will get quiet and intimate, but there are also times when the drums will hit incredibly hard and team up with overdriven fuzzy guitars and ramp up the energy. What really pushes the album over the edge, though, is the emotional connection that Prince is able to establish with his listeners. From the first time I listened to Hectic Zeniths, I was completely engaged, and each song just drew me in further.

Composing an instrumental album of interesting beats is hard enough. Creating a moving soundscape of emotionally and intellectually engaging songs in the manner that Prince did is damn near impossible. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve listened to this album now. Each time sounds fresh and inventive, but also incredibly personal. That’s no small feat.