Few musical projects dare to strip away identity in pursuit of pure sonic exploration, but Infinite Error thrives in the realm of the unknown. Their latest release, Plagued by Meaning, continues their journey pulling listeners into a world where sound transcends definition and meaning remains elusive.
Building on their previous album’s eerie, immersive landscapes, Derealizing, Infinite Error’s newest offering challenges listeners to step beyond passive consumption and fully engage with the music. This is an album that resists easy classification—equal parts post-rock, ambient, and experimental electronica—yet it feels cohesive in its relentless pursuit of emotional depth and existential questioning.
Each track on Plagued by Meaning is an intricate puzzle, devoid of traditional song structures yet brimming with tension and release. Songs like “Spectral Dissonance” swell with haunting, reverb-drenched melodies, while “Echoes of Absence” dissolves into delicate, fragmented harmonics that seem to evaporate as quickly as they arrive. The album’s longest piece, “A Dialogue in Static,” shifts unpredictably between ghostly whispers and discordant synth waves, mirroring the cyclical nature of doubt and discovery.
One of the album’s most striking aspects is its lack of lyrical anchors. Instead of words, Infinite Error relies on layers of manipulated sound—distant voices, distorted field recordings, and spectral reverberations—to communicate emotion. The result is a deeply personal listening experience, as each projects their thoughts and experiences.
Beyond its sonic experimentation, Plagued by Meaning is an album that challenges the very idea of authorship and artist identity. In a musical landscape where branding is as crucial as the music itself, Infinite Error remains defiantly anonymous. There are no official band photos, no interviews, and no backstory to latch onto. This deliberate omission forces listeners to focus solely on the music, free from preconceived notions or biases. It also raises questions about the role of identity in artistic interpretation—when we don’t know who the artist is, do we experience their work differently?
This philosophy extends to the way the album was crafted. Unlike most modern productions that rely on meticulous editing and digital perfection, Plagued by Meaning embraces imperfection. Tracks often contain elements of randomness—unexpected distortions, abrupt cutoffs, and moments of near silence that feel more like open-ended questions than definitive statements. This method creates a sense of immediacy, as though the music is unfolding in real-time rather than being meticulously prearranged.
The album’s conceptual framework is also worth noting. Plagued by Meaning feels less like a collection of songs and more like an extended meditation on existential themes. The title itself suggests an ongoing struggle with interpretation and understanding, a theme that resonates throughout the album’s compositions. There are moments of clarity—beautiful, crystalline harmonies that emerge from the noise—only to be swallowed again by layers of distortion and static. This push and pull between order and chaos mirrors the human experience of searching for meaning in an often indifferent universe.
Listeners have responded in a variety of ways to the album’s enigmatic approach. Some describe it as a deeply meditative experience, perfect for introspection or late-night listening. Others find it unsettling, even disorienting, due to its refusal to adhere to traditional musical expectations. This range of reactions speaks to the album’s ability to provoke thought and emotion without dictating a specific response.
One particularly compelling aspect of Plagued by Meaning is its use of sonic space. Many contemporary albums are mixed to be loud and compressed, filling every available frequency range with sound. Infinite Error takes the opposite approach, using silence and negative space as integral elements of the composition. There are moments where a single, sustained note lingers in the air, inviting the listener to sit with it and absorb its full resonance before the next sound emerges. This approach heightens the listener’s awareness of detail, making each sonic element feel more intentional and impactful.
For fans of artists like Tim Hecker, Ben Frost, and Grouper, Plagued by Meaning offers a similarly immersive experience, though with a distinct sense of anonymity that sets it apart. Where many experimental musicians still operate within the framework of personal branding, Infinite Error completely dissolves that aspect of artistry. This decision places them in a unique position within the music world—one where the music is truly the sole focus.
Despite its abstract nature, Plagued by Meaning is not without moments of accessibility. Tracks like “Fragments of Knowing” feature melodic passages that, while fleeting, provide a sense of grounding within the otherwise amorphous soundscape. These brief glimpses of structure make the album more inviting, offering touchpoints for listeners who might otherwise feel lost in its vast, nebulous terrain.
Critical reception for Plagued by Meaning has been overwhelmingly positive, with reviewers praising its boldness and originality. Some have likened it to a sonic Rorschach test—an album that reveals different meanings depending on the listener’s mood and perspective. Others appreciate its commitment to artistic purity, noting that in an industry increasingly driven by algorithms and commercial viability, Infinite Error’s work feels refreshingly untainted.
In many ways, Plagued by Meaning is an album that rewards patience. It demands active engagement rather than passive listening. Those willing to sit with it, to absorb its intricacies and embrace its ambiguity, will likely find themselves drawn into a deeply affecting experience—one that lingers long after the final note fades.
With Plagued by Meaning, Infinite Error continues to defy convention, proving that music does not need a face, a name, or a narrative to be profoundly affecting. In a world saturated with overproduced, hyper-polished music, this album stands as a raw, unfiltered meditation on the ephemeral nature of meaning itself.
For those ready to step into this world of musical anonymity and boundless interpretation, Plagued by Meaning is available now for streaming and purchase. Experience it for yourself: ffm.to/PlaguedByMeaning
