Columnists often look for trends, mass movements, thematic congruity, etc. around which to base their columns. It's a natural instinct. However, sometimes it's refreshing and instructive to focus a column on subjects that have little in common and that may actually be polar opposites. Hence, this week's Data Breaker.

Phonophani and Otto Von Schirach are obscure names in underground electronic music. Phonophani is sangfroid Norwegian producer Espen Sommer Eide, who's also half of the phenomenal group Alog; Von Schirach is a Cuban-German-American infamous for his profuse, gnarly output on Miami's Schematic imprint. To some degree, they represent the vast range of today's experimental electronic music.

In the early '00s, Von Schirach stood as one of the most promising drill 'n' bass producers. On albums like 8000 B.C. and Escalo Frio, he made d&b pioneer Squarepusher sound like a laid-back jazz muso. OVS's violent derangement of breakcore and strident shredding of IDM-ish textures made him one of the most exciting figures in electronic music. For a minute, it seemed as if the next level were going to be equally slapstick and madly scientific, explosive and micromanaged. But by 2004's Global Speaker Fisting, OVS's sound had become as tiresomely "provocative" as his song titles.

Now making the leap to Mike Patton's Ipecac Records, OVS delivers Maxipad Detention. Armed with his eternally unchecked id, OVS finally has gone overboard with his redonkulous fixation on bodily effluvia and speaker profaning. The new disc takes drill 'n' bass to its (ill)logical conclusion, as OVS engages in bludgeoning booty-bass, grotesque death-metal grunts, and crunk lyrical tropes (i.e., hos shakin' asses), though the disc's last third revisits more refined ground.

On a brighter note, renowned Norwegian label Rune Grammofon has reissued (with three bonus tracks) Phonophani's self-titled 1998 debut (Phonophani's other albums include 2001's Genetic Engineering and 2004's Oak or Rock).

Phonophani establishes Eide's penchant for meticulous, minimalist soundscaping. One can imagine Björk tapping him to produce a future album. Phonophani invests his ambience with a North Sea chill and an intimate desolation similar to fellow Norwegian Biosphere's output. The 13 tracks on Phonophani strike a compelling balance between vividly organic and computer-manipulated sonic palettes (he designs his own software), manifesting what could be scores for nature documentaries on undiscovered planets. Eide says, "sampling is a form of gene manipulation where you arrange and rearrange soundparts from your own playing and the works of others to create new organisms of sound." Indeed, Phonophani's approach has led to music of profound mystery and novel timbres.

Phonophani's otherworldly coolness sounds incongruously bizarre when heard on a 90-degree summer day, as I'm experiencing it now. Reveling in incongruity, though, can be deeply rewarding.

Beat Happenings

R.I.P., EPHRAIM ALEXANDER (1971–2006)
Seattle producer Ephraim Alexander (AKA Terso, Techne, and Porceline [the latter with vocalist Lady K]) passed away Friday, July 21, from diabetes complications. One of this city's staunchest supporters of electronic music (and a wicked dancer, too), Alexander was also making extraordinary strides with his own techno and drum 'n' bass productions. Alexander described his music thus: "I like to dance, so a lot of the tunes are dance oriented. I enjoy cinema, so some of the music is cinematic. I like booty, so all the tunes are booty." His good friend Zach Smith recorded Alexander's February 7 set opening for Safety Scissors at Oscillate; you can hear it at euqaz.net/recordings/public/terso/Terso20060207.mp3. Check it out: It's a mighty impressive epitaph. A reliable, endless source of positive energy and one of the nicest individuals in Seattle's thriving electronic-music scene, Alexander touched many people with his generous spirit and musical talent. He will be intensely missed. (A funeral service for Ephraim Alexander will be held Thursday, July 27. Check decibelfestival.com for details.)

SATURDAY JULY 29

DJ EDDIE
One of the venerable (but eternally youthful in spirit!) figures in Seattle's club scene, DJ Eddie will be spinning a luxurious four-hour set tonight. This will be a rare treat to witness a master selector bust out a bountiful sampling of his tremendous tech-house vinyl cache. Expect much sweetness from Perlon's Superlongevity 4 comp, M-nus's Min2Max collection, and gems from Trapez, Spectral, Tuning Spork, and many other world-class labels. ToST, 513 N 36th St, 547-0240, 9 pm–2 am, free, 21+.

UNEAQ
The San Jose, California, band Uneaq play classic, classy house music, live; they offer nothing but sunny vibes, soulful uplift, laid-back instrumentation, and soothing, cushioned 4/4 rhythms. As with the Grateful Dead and '77-style punk, this brand of house music will always have its loyal adherents. Tonight's gig—which is being thrown by local house-music philanthropists Uniting Souls—benefits Seattle Cancer Care Alliance patient Carlos Garcia, who needs a life-saving organ transplant. Baltic Room, 1207 E Pine St, 625-4444, 10 pm–2 am, $7 before 10:30, $10 after, 21+.