PORTER RICKS ANGUILLA ELECTRICA Tresor. Electronic, Minimal Techno, Dark Ambient. Listening Format: CD
June 2017 seems to be the month of big comeback records in Electronic music, as Gas, Goldie and now Porter Ricks have all released albums after nearly 20 years of absence. Porter Ricks consists of the duo of Andy Mellwig and Thomas Koner. They last released a collaborative album with Techno Animal (Justin Broadrick and Kevin Martin) back in 1999 before vanishing. Thomas Koner is known as one of the most influential Dark Ambient and Drone producers of the 90s, but Porter Ricks allowed him to get closer to the Berlin club scene, combining his meticulous sound designs with pounding bass heavy, minimal techno beats. Despite having such a colourful album sleeve, 'Anguilla Electrica' channels that darkness that they are known for. Porter Ricks very much has that Tresor and Berlin Techno kind of sound, with four-to-the-floor kick drum beats leading many of the tracks on this record. The compositions slowly envelop, inducing the listener into a hypnotic trance. The bass sounds in particular are much more thumping than some of their 90s work, especially on their 1996 debut album 'Biokinetics'. This comeback record is a far more immediate work, built on six songs running just over 40 minutes in total. In particular 'Scuba Rondo' is one of the most in your face and energetic tracks in their entire discography, channeling Polygon Window era Aphex Twin. 'Prismatic Error' harks back to that earlier sound by being the slowest and eeriest track here and definitely my favourite. The track runs on a very slow pulsing, off kilter beat, as Thomas Koner's scraping and clanging sounds prove that he is still a master in subtlety in music production. This one is especially reminiscent of something Autechre might have done on their 'Chiastic Slide' LP. As a whole I am really digging 'Anguilla Electrica'. Releasing a Minimal Techno album with a relatively concise running time is certainly a wise idea, making it a breeze to listen to. Yet even listeners who are well versed in Minimal Techno acts such as Surgeon, Plastikman and The Field will still find this album to be a positively challenging experience. There is such a good emphasis on atmosphere and texture, with very complex mixing and sound design that we've come to expect. My biggest complaint is that I wish the actual beats were as adventurous as the incredible glitchy and abstract synths and effects that they are carrying. Aside from the aforementioned 'Prismatic Error', the beats here are fairly standard for the genre and rather predictable. I just wish the beats would go as abstract as the other sounds that Koner is experimenting with. In particular they are mixed much more prominently than their older material, lacking that spaced out vibe. This album is also much more immediate and polished in terms of production than their 90s heyday material. I feel like those who really dug 'Biokinetics' will find that this release is a little bit too linear and not as overwhelming and hypnotising as on classic tracks such as 'Port Gentil'. Even so, Porter Ricks have delivered a very satisfying reunion album that has enough quality material to stand as one of the better Electronic albums of the year. If you genuinely like your techno music to be dark and haunting, you've come to the right nightmare. 7/10.
CIRCLE TERMINAL Southern Lord. Progressive Rock, Psychedelia, Krautrock. Listening Format: Digital
Usually I like to research an artist before I review them, or I will already have a clear understanding of an artist's back catalogue beforehand, but I'm making an exception for Circle. I was recently recommended them with only the description of "Finnish madness", and it was enough to raise my intrigue. This new record also happens to be released on the highly reputable Southern Lord label, so I knew I had to give it a spin. It turns out that Circle have been going since the early 90s and have put out well over 20 albums on various obscure labels, all of varying styles and subgenres. So even if I wanted to research their back catalogue in preparation for this review, I wouldn't have time or even know where to start! Upon diving into 'Terminal', I was grabbed by them immediately. They kick off with the longest track on the album that has a bit of a jam band feel to it. Circle burst into life with a fantastic opening riff, with a Garage Rock guitar feel. There is plenty of fuzz and distortion, delivering a crunchy guitar sound. Their vocalist soon kicks in, unleashing a truly animalistic roar that really took me off guard. But Circle are always mixing up their vocal styles, with strange operatic vocals emerging halfway through the song, sounding somewhere between Iron Maiden and Magma! There are also these strange whispering and chanting vocals that add a creepy feel reminiscent of Goblin's 'Suspiria' theme. The track as a whole has a very 70s feel to it, with plenty of guitar and keyboard noodling sections, but the proggy track is held together well with an eerie atmosphere and off kilter twists and turns. The title track is another huge standout, propelling the band into a much more minimalist and repetitive groove this time around. The Krautrock influences come through here, with a really catchy psyched out riff that sounds like Moon Duo. Following a complex, proggy opus with a simple riff rocker actually seems to pay off really well, giving some needed breathing space in the record, as well as getting those heads a bangin'! 'Imperiumi' is another huge highlight on the album where the bombast of the vocals really takes over. The operatic vocals are in full force, and the way they intertwine with the almost jazzy riffs is superb and will get stuck in your head. Such an unsubtle and fun song. 'Terminal' as a whole sounds perfectly nostalgic. I can hear so many sprinkles of great late 60s/early 70s Rock and Metal. There are little bits of Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, The Doors, The Stooges and Can all over this record. Circle's genius lays in providing truly belting and meaty riffs and grooves that can keep a listener nodding along for a whole track, and then using those solid riffs as a leaping point to add in wild and unpredictable crazy quirks along the way. In particular, the vocals on this album add so much wonder, mystery and even a bit of drama and humour here and there. Circle are clearly a highly competent band and even though their discography is vast, they play with so much passion and urgency throughout this record, which is really one of the things that impresses me most. Circle come across as a band that aren't short on ideas and are discovering new grounds, even this far into their journey! 8/10.
FLEET FOXES CRACK UP Nonesuch. Folk, Baroque Pop, Indie Rock. Listening Format: CD
Oh, Fleet Foxes! It's been too long since I last heard from you! It's been 6 years since the American Indie Folk band dropped their sophomore record 'Helplessness Blues', and I've really missed them. In case you didn't already know, Fleet Foxes are one of the most blissful and euphoric voices in contemporary Folk music. The band are masterminded by vocalist and guitarist Robin Pecknold, whose incredible vocals are surely one of the most vivid and beautiful in the genre. It's almost like he has this ability to take the soulful vocal harmonies of Simon & Garfunkel, and embody them together in one voice. Fleet Foxes have self produced their third album 'Crack Up', but I have to hand it to the mix of Phil Ek, because this is the absolute benchmark for how vocals should sound on a Folk recording. Robin has the perfect amount of reverb on his voice, and he just soars gracefully on every word he sings. This gives Fleet Foxes such an immediately grabbing and recognisable sound that just melts my heart every time I hear them. Here is the kicker though... 'Crack Up' is Fleet Foxes least immediate record yet. Yes I liked the sound of the record from the first listen, but the actual songs and structure of the album actually took some work to really sink into. Their 2008 self titled debut (it feels like only yesterday that it was released) was very much a Folk Pop record. It is by the far their catchiest album, spearheaded by their breakout single 'White Winter Hymnal' that is so easy to sing and hum along to. 'Crack Up' doesn't actually have a song that screams "catchy" or "hit single" on it. Fleet Foxes have continued a maturity and intricacy in the sound that they experimented with on 'Helplessness Blues'. That album saw the band meddling with progressive touches and sticking multiple songs into the same track. They explore upon this even further with opener 'I Am All That I Need / Arroyo Seco / Thumbprint Scar'. This track doesn't quite feel like three different songs strung into one track though... Maybe they couldn't decide on a title? The song is actually one of the simplest, largely hanging on a single strummed guitar chord that gradually rises and falls like an ocean wave as bombastic strings punch in and out of the mix. Closer inspection of the album booklet reveals stage directions in the lyrics, such as "But I'm all that I nee- / [The band kicks the loner off the stage]" which seems to reveal 'Crack Up' as concept album. If I had to guess, these foxes are taking the "fleet" of their name into a more literal context, by telling the story of a fleet of ships and their travels across the ocean. As I said before, 'Crack Up' will take even the most avid Fleet Foxes fans a few full listens to really get on board with. A lot of the songs on this album seem to begin and end quite abruptly. It took me quite a few spins before I started to realise where one song ended and the next began. A lot of the album tends to flow together with little to no pause. However unlike classics albums that do this such as... THE classic album, 'Dark Side of the Moon', there aren't any interludes or instrumentals to help ease those transitions. When it works, it works really well. It's weird that 'Cassius-' and '-Naiads, Cassadies' felt the need to be split into separate tracks when they flow so gracefully into one another. And yet eight minute long 'Third of May / Odaigahara' probably could have split off around the five minute mark as the latter half shape-shifts into one of the more downbeat and melancholic moods, after what could easily have been one of the most uplifting and dare I say it... "hit single" of the album! It actually feels like Fleet Foxes are trying to shy away from an instant accessibility that made their debut album such a warm breeze, but when you play with such gorgeous sounds and brilliant instrumentation, there isn't really any need to be so evasive. Whilst the album may not have anything that screams a Pop hit, it does still have some absolutely banging standout tracks. The aforementioned '-Naiads Cassadies' (as forgettable as the song title is), is the closest we get to a big singalong. This short and simple ditty is built on a tambourine shake and a pounding kick drum, as Robin spits rhetoric, "Who stole the life from you?" Instead of having a big chorus, Robin simply breaks into waves of ooohs and aaaahs. If it wasn't for the overly complex and inquisitive lyrics, I'd say this one might have you singing along, but you will certainly hum and tap your foot! 'Third of May...' explodes into life from the very first second, sounding so triumphant and passionate. The instrumentation is so rich, with the baroque vocal harmonies lifting the song over treacherous waves and jagged rocks, as sunlight bursts through the clouds and that massive chorus we were craving beams over the horizon. But my favourite song of all comes in the second half. 'On Another Ocean (January / June)' gradually builds with one of Robin's most haunting vocal performances and a brittle wandering piano. Halfway through the song suddenly morphs into this breathtaking electric guitar slacker rock strum that wouldn't sound out of place on a Mac DeMarco record. This simple transformation from stirringly dramatic to super chilled is a moment of true magic, delivering those glorious summery feels that I so craved. Unlike the eight and a half minute 'Third of May...', this is a track that doesn't feel long enough, having me reach for the skip back button! I shouldn't though, as it carries over superbly into 'Fool's Errand' that plays like a march into battle... Except, ya know... wielding acoustic guitars! If I have to say anything negative about 'Crack Up' it is that it tries to be a little more complicated than it really needs to be. It is an admirable thing to want to challenge a listener, but Fleet Foxes actually sound better the lighter and more accessible they are. When they try to be a bit too clever, it can sometimes cloud the sheer passion and honesty that spews effortlessly from their music. But the working of grand orchestral parts and epic scale storytelling certainly shouldn't be dismissed. 'Crack Up' is their largest and most ambitious album yet, full of vivid instrumentation and compelling narratives. Like any good record, it will reward you with repeat listening and gradually unfold like a flower in bloom. Easily a strong album of the year contender. 8/10.
GOLDIE THE JOURNEY MAN Drum N Bass, Electronic. Metalheadz Listening Format: CD
They say that each decade of music is influenced by the sounds from 20 years prior, as new musicians begin to express influences of the sounds they grew up with. The 90s saw a lot of throwbacks to sounds from the 70s, the 00s had a strong 80s revival with Synth-Pop having a strong resurgence, and now in the 10s, a 90s influence has started to come back around again. Rock musicians are referencing Grunge, and new musicians in Hip Hop, Metal and Electronic music are referencing the best sounds of their childhood. Of course this means that original artists from that era are having their music re-appraised and the sounds they may have pioneered are coming back full circle. Just think how many seminal 90s musicians have been making comebacks this decade: Aphex Twin, At the Drive In, Faith No More, Swans, Gas, Porter Ricks, Godflesh... And now Goldie releases his first proper full length solo album since 1998's 'Saturnreturnz'. Goldie of course is one of the best known Drum N Bass artists, and truly a pioneer of the craft. Not only has he created some of the longest, most spacious and intellectual instrumentals in the genre, but also has produced great Pop singles such as his immortal classic 'Inner City Life'. Outside of that he crafted an entire label of similarly creative minds, pushing the sounds of beat production further than ever before. His label Metalheadz gave a home to other Drum N Bass pioneers such as Photek, Source Direct, D-Bridge and more. Goldie and the Metalheadz label became synonymous with the 90s, but didn't transition quite as well into the 00s, as newer sounds in Electronic music became popular. Will Goldie's return manage to hold relevance in 2017? 'The Journey Man' is a sprawling double disc album (much like his previous two) and is a very eclectic affair. The disc opens with a song VERY reminiscent of his classic 'Inner City Life'. 'Horizons' pulls at the same strings and motifs of his classic hit, even having vocalist Swindle deliver a rather similar vocal melody. Fortunately it works as an excellent way to suck the listener into this opus, kind of like a mission statement... Goldie's back! Fortunately it is followed by perhaps the best cut on the album and a more strikingly distinct track. 'Prism' is solid from start to finish, with beautiful spacey synths and a very hard break-beat that almost dips into 'Drukqs' era Aphex Twin style "Drill N Bass". This track is an awesome crossover to hear from Goldie. It's a very Sci-Fi feeling tune that has a brilliant catchy melody too and isn't afraid to envelop at a slow pace. The first disc as a whole is relatively accessible even though the tracks often sit above the 5 minute mark and can take their time to fully develop. The use of female soulful vocalists works as a great way to hook the listener in, such as on the excellent 'The Mirrored River' that adds in some powerful wobbling sub-bass. But when Goldie takes us in more daring instrumental zones I think the results are even more interesting. 'I Think of You' is the prime example near the end of the first disc. This jazzy cut sounds like it samples an upright bass and has a very similar vibe to his Metalheadz peer Photek. The shuffling beats on this track are some of the most intricate on the record, and Goldie continues to prove he is one of the masters when it comes to beat programming. The first disc certainly lumped the more immediate tracks together because disc two hits the listener with even more challenging and lengthy affairs. It opens with a whopping 19 minute long journey 'Redemption', opening with harmonious atmospheric synths reminiscent of his work on his classic album 'Timeless'. At the 11 minute mark it morphs into an entirely different beast as the track becomes a Sci-Fi techno rave until its climax. 'Redemption' is one of the best tracks on the entire album and certainly the most daring. Goldie takes another left turn in the following track 'Tu Viens Avec Moi?', which the booklet explicitly states is a tribute to prolific Jazz musician Pat Metheny. This incredible chilled track verges fully into Jazz and even some clean guitars creep into the mix. 'The Ballad Celeste' brings back female vocal leads, but verges much more into Neo-Soul territory, with an escalating Hip Hop groove running through the spine of the track. The second disc of 'The Journey Man' sees Goldie verging away from Drum N Bass a lot of the time and succeeding in it. 'The River Mirrored' is a nearly identical track to 'The Mirrored River' on disc one (funnily enough), but the two being placed in the middle of each disc is actually a neat touch. 'Triangle' is one of the biggest highlights of the entire album, with a musical triangle sample leading the motif of the track, leaving the album with a serious Drum N Bass banger. 'The Journey Man' is ultimately an incredibly eclectic listen that spans far beyond the reaches of Drum N Bass. The only true misstep here is 'Castaway' which blatantly tries to sound like Prince. It comes off second rate, and stands out like a sore thumb in the tracklist. But all the other times Goldie ventures into different genres, it mostly works and feels cohesive. One of the biggest delights of this album is that around half of it is masterfully produced and arranged Drum N Bass that takes the listener back to the golden days of the genre in the 90s. But all of Goldie's ventures into Techno, Hip Hop and Jazz are perhaps even more exciting. The 2 hour opus rarely feels bogged down, because there are a lot of exciting and varied ideas happening all over the place. What is even more impressive is that Goldie has poured a lot of his own wisdom and personality into this record. The album sleeve and booklet consists of photos of Goldie from over the years, often pictured with friends. There are tracks that are clearly tributes to people who have inspired and affected him in his life, and the music really reflects this man's journey (hey that's what the title must mean eh?) Goldie has not only proven why he is one of the masters of Drum N Bass, but has dared to take risks on this massive album, and they mostly have really paid off well. There barely seemed to be any hype around this release, but it is truly one of the best comeback records of the decade. It certainly deserves to be on par with Aphex Twin's comeback record 'Syro', but sadly I don't predict a Grammy award in Goldie's future. 'The Journey Man' is a truly cohesive, intricately arranged and larger than life opus that deserves to be remembered as one of the best Electronic albums of the year. 8/10.
CHASTITY BELT I USED TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME ALONE Indie Rock, Jangle-Pop. Hardly Art. Listening Format: CD
Chastity Belt are a quartet from Seattle, Washington, the home of Grunge, which is ever so slightly channeled in the aesthetics of their sound. This is their third full length album and what I believe is the boldest and most distinct record from the all girl band yet.
Chastity Belt on the surface have a lot of 90s throwback vibes that recall bands like Pavement, delivering slacker vibes with plenty of ragged, jangly guitars and a lo-fi, rough around the edges, scuzzy sound. There are many points where vocalist Julia Shapiro will drift out of key or go slightly flat, but in that magical naive way where it doesn't at all offend the ears, similar to bands like The Raincoats or The Vaselines. Whilst the album doesn't offer much in the way of variation, it does offer lots of heart, and the entire set of songs carries a lot of vibrance and momentum. Even though the production sound isn't particularly bright, the compositions and performances themselves are full of colour. The chiming guitars and hazy vocals in particular add such dreamy and pleasant feels.
From the rockin' opener 'Different Now', to the slowly strummed dirge on 'Used to Spend', the album thoroughly evokes an urgency, rawness and passion that shines the whole way through. Ultimate proof that great performances and heartfelt songs can make up for a lack of technical finesse. Recommended for fans of The Dum Dum Girls, Best Coast and Waxahatchee. 8/10.
CIGARETTES AFTER SEX CIGARETTES AFTER SEX Indie Rock, Slowcore, Dream Pop Partisan Records. Listening Format: CD
Cigarettes After Sex are a Texan formed Indie Rock band who are releasing their proper full length debut album. The band have actually been around for a while now, with their self released demo appearing in 2011 which didn't make such an impact. However their 2012 EP fared much better, with the track 'Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby' becoming a slow-burning hit. The band kind of went dormant for quite a few years, but a reissue of said EP last year renewed interest in the band who had started touring once more. Cigarettes After Sex now seem to be picking up their momentum faster than ever before and are starting to see the attention they have been looking for. For those who have known of the band's work before this album, you'll hear that almost nothing has changed in their sound. Even in the years following that 2012 EP, Cigarettes After Sex haven't added or subtracted anything. Their sound has that 90s throwback that is especially popular this decade. In particular they seem to take influences from the lesser known "Slowcore" movement of the early 90s. Their stark, stripped down and bare-bones sound is especially reminiscent of early Red House Painters and Low records (particularly 'Down Colorful Hill' and 'I Could Live In Hope' respectively). However Cigarettes After Sex are nowhere near as harrowing, melancholic or doom-ridden sonically or lyrically. But the comparison comes from their slow jangly music that is so bare it has nothing to hide. There also seems to be a strong influence of early 90s 4AD acts such as This Mortal Coil and Cocteau Twins too (in fact 'Each Time You Fall In Love' has a very similar sound and melody to Cocteau Twins' 'Pitch the Baby'). Cigarettes After Sex admirably have nothing flashy about their sound. The drums are mostly hi-hat and snare, the guitars slightly reverberated, but their sound is just as raw in approach as it would be on stage or in the studio. Absolutely no studio trickery or effects sound like they have been added in post. In many ways this makes the band sound completely genuine and honest, but such starkness could be a turn off for some listeners.
The album has a few really strong songs, kicking off with 'K.' which is as strong an opener as their best known hit 'Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby'. As I said before, they sound EXACTLY as they did when they released that song 5 years prior. Greg Gonzalez's androgynous voice is just as bittersweet and inviting as always. Perhaps the true star of this record. His vocals are just so warm, emotive and passionate without really even trying. He rarely feels to the need to elevate his voice or push his vocal chords in anyway, always revelling in a laid back, chilled out hush, much like the band as a whole. Cigarettes After Sex are a band that never introduce a heavy riff or even a loud build up in their songs. Their music is almost calculatedly brittle and laid back, like the band sat down the entire time they wrote and recorded these songs. Single 'Apocalypse' is another huge hitting and emotive song that was effectively released as a promotional single. I particularly enjoy 'Flash'. A rare time where the band mix up the formula a bit. The song revolves around a beat similar to Massive Attack's 'Teardrop' and shows a dub influenced bassline.
The problem with Cigarettes After Sex being so strictly chained to a specific sound is that the album really lacks any variation. Even if I think back on Red House Painters' debut as a sonic comparison, they also had a fairly strict vision for their sound and approach, yet still managed to hit us with a curveball with the brilliant 'Lord Kill the Pain', a faster tempo song reminiscent of REM. All ten tracks on this album have almost the same approach, structure and aesthetic running through them. I feel like even just one or two curveballs or surprises would have benefited this record. After multiple listens, my excitement for this record started to wane. Their 2012 EP lasted 18 minutes long and was built on 4 incredibly strong tracks. But transitioning over to an entire full length record and keeping the same strict aesthetic has made for a much more difficult listening experience running at 45 minutes. Unless this is your absolute favourite band or sound in the world, enjoying the entire duration is going to be tough. In fact the longest and slowest song 'Opera House' is the lowest point on the album.
'Cigarettes After Sex' is ultimately a solid, passionate and very focused debut. The band have clearly made no compromises in their sound and their vision and delivered more of exactly what made their 2012 EP so popular. There are a few genuinely stunning tracks, and they certainly have a down to earth sound and delivery that will hopefully tug at your heartstrings. But I can't deny that I really wanted to like this album more than I did. It really is a one-dimensional affair that just about pulls through into moments of greatness, although the overall consistency of their EP was better. If you are new to this band though, it's definitely one I would recommend. They are certainly one of the more interesting Indie Rock bands I have heard this decade. For a debut full length, it just about works, but I'd like to see this band think more outside of the box in the future and take me to different places with their sound. 7/10.
DYSTOPIAN FUTURE MOVIES TIME Post Rock, Atmospheric Sludge Metal, Dream Pop. Oak Island Records Listening Format: CD
Dystopian Future Movies are an Atmospheric Rock trio from Nottingham, England and this is their debut album 'Time'. Their music is written by vocalist and guitarist Caroline Cawley with apt lyrics that seem to evoke a fear of things to come. DFM have built up their own signature style of writing that combines elements of Post Rock combined with the classic loudQUIETloud formula. Though their songs tend to average the 5-6 minute mark (as opposed to Post Rock's often lengthier dirges), they often build up slowly and gradually, ebbing and flowing between soft, Ambient textured and atmospheric clean guitar passages, and loud and explosive distorted guitar sections. Whilst this is far from a new or unique approach, it is the genuine delivery and craft of this band that helps them to stand out.
'Time' has been produced by drummer Bill Fisher (who also plays in Church of the Cosmic Skull alongside Caroline), and excellently so as one of the biggest selling points of this debut full length is how lush and realised everything sounds. For just a guitar, bass, drums and vocal trio their music genuinely sounds bigger than the sum of its parts. There are many subtle textures to be heard, whether it is a guitar effect here, or a buried vocal line there, revealing themselves further with each listen. Even when the drums are playing at a steady, slow pace, they are always interesting, adding a hypnotic quality, and then booming into life with choppy fills and aggressive playing when necessary (check out the intro to 'Dulled Gilt'). Caroline Cawley's voice and guitar sound are completely inseparable. The two always play in complete harmony with each other as the songs build. Every clean guitar passage will be complimented with a hushed and fragile vocal that verges on a whisper, whilst every distorted riff that soars into Sludge Metal will be accompanied with Caroline's gnarlier screams and howls. She is clearly the real star of the band and her voice and use of melancholic chord progressions often grab the listener and are full of genuine moments of darkness as well as beauty. In particular lead single 'Pieces' sums up exactly what DFM do best all in one track. The dynamics of the song are teasing and alluring. Just as the song feels like it is going to explode into thundering riffs, the trio will suddenly pull back into soft and slow dreamy rock again. It takes a couple of builds up and crescendos before that momentum they allude to fires into life, taking the listener on that journey. 'Fortunate Ones' is another huge highlight on the album and certainly the most "Metal" song here. The track bursts into life much sooner with pounding drums and chugging riffs, whilst still holding on to that fragility that haunts their sound and writing style. But perhaps my favourite track of all is the beautiful 'Inertia'. This song has the brightest production and the most colourful sound, lead by mostly clean guitar that recalls Smashing Pumpkins 'Mayonaise'. 'Inertia' is a perfectly placed centrepiece on the album and the liveliest and prettiest track. Whilst I genuinely enjoy all seven tracks on this album, the way the album ends is a little underwhelming. 'Fugitive Minds' is a good track but just as it feels like the song is building to its climax, a misplaced fade out interrupts the song all too early. It feels like the studio engineer yelled "Time's up!" and cut them off mid song. 'Fugitive Minds' not only feels unfinished, but it leaves the album without a powerful finale that it so deserved. I feel like 'Forgotten Ones' would have served as a much better climax to the album, or at just 37 minutes, something else could have come in to close off the album. At least DFM have sent me off wanting more, in what is genuinely the only detracting moment on the record. Dystopian Future Movies have successfully built on the promise of their fantastic EPs and delivered one of the most emotive and haunting Rock/Metal album's I have heard this year. For a debut album, 'Time' is a more than solid surface to leap off and I expect DFM will go on to even greater things in the future! Recommended for fans of Chelsea Wolfe, Slint, True Widow and Esben & the Witch. 8/10.
BURIAL SUBTEMPLE Dark Ambient, Electronic. Hyperdub Records Listening Format: Vinyl Burial is undoubtedly one of the most exciting, revered and innovative Electronic musicians of the last 10 years or so. The publicity shy bedroom producer hasn't put an album out since 2007's modern classic 'Untrue', and neither does he look like he is any rush to follow it up. Instead Burial has been releasing vinyl and digital exclusive EPs dropping at random once a year ever since. In particular his two EPs 'Street Halo' and 'Kindred' have arguably been his greatest works to date. Burial used the EP format to the fullest, by making much lengthier and more experimental pieces than on his two studio albums. A trend he has continued with each year to this very date.
Whilst Burial has continued to experiment and innovate, the quality control of his work has sadly started to wane. The 'Truant / Rough Sleeper' and 'Rival Dealer' EPs had some great moments, but lacked cohesion as a whole. It felt like Burial was actually trying to escape the fantastic trademarks and signatures he had built up to give him such a unique and identifiable sound. Burial's latest works have definitely shown a decline in quality, yet the mystery of Burial still seems to fascinate. These 12" singles with super minimalist, near identical artwork keep on dropping once a year, almost like he is building his follow up album slowly, piece by piece, over multiple discs. The lowest point in his discography so far was his preceding 12", 'Young Death / Nightmarket'. Both tracks on this EP sounded like Ambient interludes that didn't seem to go anywhere, lacked memorability and didn't have enough "Burial-isms" to feel like a genuinely worthy release. This is the point where even die hard Burial fans started to ask the tough questions. Is Burial losing his magic touch? Is his music still relevant? Should his fans keep bothering to pick up these 12" releases or is it time for him to mix it up a bit more?
Roll on 2017 and yet another EP drops with the same faceless artwork. Except this time it is just a 10" vinyl. But essentially it is the same deal, with two side length pieces running at seven and nine minutes respectively. Critical response has been even less favourable than the forgettable 'Young Death / Nightmarket' 12", which is worryingly putting Burial's validity as an artist into question... 'Subtemple' consists of yet another two tracks which could easily just be described as "Ambient interludes". The kind of tracks that might hold a significant place sandwiched between two epic tracks on an album, but don't have much context released on their own. Is Burial taking his dedicated fanbase for a ride at this point?
Well, actually, I really enjoyed this release. In fact it is probably my favourite Burial release since 'Kindred' (although the actual track 'Rival Dealer' was a gem, if not the entire EP). Both tracks are nearly identical to each other in approach. Lengthy, minimal, Dark Ambient pieces that kind of glide on by. However I am quite a fan of Dark Ambient music, so this wasn't a problem for me. But I think there is actually more to these tracks than meets the ear. Unlike his last few releases, Burial is actually nodding back to his earliest recordings. In particular tracks such as 'Endorphin' from the 'Untrue' album (and yes, that was an Ambient interlude). 'Untrue' sampled heavily from Konami video games such as Metal Gear Solid and Silent Hill. It sounds like Burial may be revisiting those influences, because 'Subtemple' and 'Beachfires' both sound strongly reminiscent of Akira Yamaoka's incredible Dark Ambient scores for the Silent Hill games... Clearly a strong influence on Burial in the first place. What impresses me more, is that if you listen very carefully, some of those Burial trademark's ARE there... just very. very much buried in the mix. The coating of vinyl crackle and pops, the use of a pitch-shifted female vocal sample, the sounds of fractured drum samples... They are all there, just not at all in the forefront of the mix or composition.
If you pay close attention, it actually feels like Burial is coming full circle with this release. And given that it is 10 years since his highly praised album 'Untrue' it feels like an appropriate time for it. The atmospheric and fragile drum breaks may be absent, the awesome use of layering post-Dubstep sub-bass with Hip Hop inspired vocal samples and loops are absent too. This is still not on the level of tracks like 'Kindred' or 'Ghost Hardware', but it does show more promise than a lot of critics and fans have made out. I still don't think this release needed to be yet another standalone EP, but at least the tracks show promise. 'Subtemple' is an EP of great subtlety, and actually shows some of Burial's more inspired compositions of recent times. 7/10.
This weekend I ventured down to London to attend Field Day 2017, which boasted one of the best lineups of the year. The festival is mostly dedicated to Electronic music, but also covers great acts in Hip Hop and Indie Rock too. Definitely the kind of festival for eclectic music fans to venture to. With such a strong lineup there were inevitably some brutal clashes with Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus, Run the Jewels, Slowdive, Thee Oh Sees AND King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard having their sets all crossover on different stages. I wish I could have cloned myself and seen them all, but here is what I did get to see on this beautiful day in Victoria Park.
Methyl Ethel
My first act of the day was Australian Indie Rock quartetMETHYL ETHEL who provided an upbeat and lively performance to match the glorious sunshine. Their guitars had light touches of reverb creating light psychedelic vibes. Laid back mid tempo drums gave them that chilled out slacker vibe. Vocalist Jake Webb was a strong vocal point, with a bubbly and slightly twee sounding vocal, performed with great confidence. After sticking around for a few songs, I went to check out ABRA on the Resident Advisor stage. Instantly I was drawn in with the duo's massive, pounding bass heavy beats that shook the ground around me. Their Trap influenced Alt-R&B grooves really hit hard. Abra herself oozed so much confidence as a vocalist, with a sugary sweet singing voice. Definitely one of my favourite discoveries of the day with a sound fans of FKA Twigz and Jessy Lanza will probably enjoy. Certainly one to look out for.
Bristolian's BEAK> were a fine highlight in the Moth Club tent. The band is a side project lead by Geoff Barrow of Portishead fame. Beak> are highly inspired by Krautrock acts such as Can, locking into funky, repetitive grooves, with wild electronics and scatty guitars often searing away over the top. The tent was absolutely packed out to get a glimpse of this band and it was hard to even get inside. Instead I went back to the Resident Advisor tent to watch FOREST SWORDS. The scouse Electronic producer (real name Matthew Barnes) brought his Ambient Dub productions to the stage, with a live bass guitar player added to the equation. Barnes himself also added live guitar on a couple of tracks. The use of background visuals was quite striking and his beats sounded loud and pounding through the immense sound system.
Death Grips
There was no time to spare once Forest Swords had finished, as most of the Field Day crowd dashed to the opposite end of the park to the Crack tent to secure a decent spot for DEATH GRIPS. Even half an hour before the Sacramento trio hit the stage, the tent was practically full. DJ ESTHER JOY did a solid job of warming up the crowd, but the anticipation was so high that I think most people were staring at their watches, glimpsing towards the backstage area eager for the trio to emerge. Death Grips even teased the crowd by doing a brief linecheck of 'Guillotine' before leaving the stage again, sending the fans into a pre-emptive mosh. Finally Death Grips came on, and Field Day 2017 became a completely different beast, with a mosh pit so ferocious you would think Slayer had taken over the festival. Gone were the chilled vibes that Methyl Ethel began the day with. Death Grips force-feed a crowd with so much visceral, blood pumping energy. Flatlander's dense and noisy samples and synths, Zach Hill pounding the drums like they insulted his mother, and MC Ride's manic vocal acrobatics all converged perfectly to deliver one of the most vital, free-form and passionate expressions of the entire festival. The crowd were truly swept into a frenzy of ugly, unforgiving and blunt chaos as Death Grips blasted through discography highlights such as 'Come Up & Get Me', 'No Love', 'Hot Head', 'Guillotine' and more. In particular 'Giving Bad People Good Ideas' and 'I've Seen Footage' commanded the crowd to go fully insane. Certainly one of the main draws of this year's Field Day.
Following this breathtaking performance was a more controlled chaos. The Bleep Bandstand was situated right next to the Moth Club tent, and two very different but equally influential artists were playing at the same time. To my left was MIKE PARADINAS, best known as his alias U-Ziq (part of the 90s Cornish Acid scene with Aphex Twin), and founder of Planet Mu Records. And at the same time to my right was the last remaining member of SILVER APPLES, a man who pioneered Electronic music and breakbeats in the late 60s. I was so intrigued by both artists that I felt the need to zig-zag between the two. Silver Apples presented a rather crass and primitive approach, paving lots of wild oscillated sounds across his canvas. But ultimately I found myself more drawn to Paradinas, who was rocking the joint, belting out such a well crafted array of glitch, breakcore and ambient techno mastery, that it is puzzling that his name isn't as revered as his friend and collaborator Richard D James.
S U R V I V E
Back over at the Shacklewell Arms tent was S U R V I V E, who were another huge highlight. The US quartet are signed to Extreme Metal label Relapse Records, but perform Dark Ambient and Synthwave music heavily influenced by the works of John Carpenter. The way that the four synthesizer performers played off each other was something magical. Visually the way the quartet appeared on stage was reminiscent of Kraftwerk. They had a great knack of veering off into solo sections, but often coming together to create wondrous harmonies of ice cold synths. Their music speaking in unison, creating language out of synthetic sounds. The band are best known for contributing to the original score for the hit Sci-Fi series Stranger Things, and their own music away from that defining score was fairly similar and just as enticing to listen to. Before making my way to see one of the big headliners, I popped in to catch the end of CLAMS CASINO's set. I only caught the last few songs and yet still I left with a huge impression. Clams Casino had the entire tent packed to brim delivering a ferocious approach to hard hitting Trap beats. So many people were getting their groove on to his hard sounds, bringing such a Gangsta boogie to Field Day that drove people wild. Closing the Resident Advisor tent was one of the most anticipated acts of the entire day. FLYING LOTUS not only brought an incredible visual and light show, but his sound was deafeningly loud and just sounded massive. FlyLo played a lot of new material, even slipping in some currently unreleased material from his upcoming score for Kuso (the film Ellison directed). A trap rendition of the Twin Peaks theme was an unexpected delight, and he also performed a lot of retro video game inspired pieces, with numerous beats that sampled different Silent Hill games, and an amazing rendition of an iconic theme from Final Fantasy VII. FlyLo weaved them together through many of his most incredible album cuts into an unrelenting flow of jazzy and funky Hip Hop/IDM fusion. The vibes inside this tent were unreal. I wish I could have stayed for the whole set, but I had to leave after forty minutes to ensure I got myself a good spot in The Barn for the big headliner...
Flying Lotus
Richard D James, best known as APHEX TWIN was clearly the act most people came to see. I saw so many people donning his iconic logo on their shirts and there was such a positive buzz in the air. As you can imagine, he delivered one of the most dynamic lighting and visual crafts of the entire festival. So many coloured lasers and dizzying strobes were used. There were amazing visuals on the screen such as cartoonish images of the queen, Nigel Farage, Theresa May and... Chris Evans... with Richard's famous creepy, distorted face super imposed over the top. And at times people in the crowd were even filmed up close, but with that haunting face super imposed over their own faces. Aphex Twin performed for an incredible two straight hours. There were probably a lot of young people who were seeing Aphex Twin for the very first time (I think he last played the UK five years ago). Old school fans will know that he doesn't play the hits live. No 'Come to Daddy' or 'Windowlicker', but he did sneak in a more obscure cut 'Audax Powder' from the Polygon Window album. Aphex usually will create a unique live experience of material that even die hard fans have never heard before. Aphex truly pulled out all the stops. The first half hour was particularly doomy, and horrifying, favouring slow, warped beats and chilling horror synths. But the show gradually got a lot more playful, as Aphex moved into those classic Cornish Acid Techno vibes. He showcased some of his Drill & Bass sounds reminiscent of the 'Drukqs' era, and even some more colourful and accessible spots. He would often break people's expectations by dropping in something like an old school Hip Hop beat here, or a jungle tune there, or a straight up Dub piece. But as a whole it felt like Aphex was drawing from just about everything he has delivered over his vast and ever changing career. His set was constantly changing up at an ADHD pace, so there was always something fantastic for our ears to feast on. Originally I had planned to watch an hour of his set and then go and catch a bit of Run the Jewels, but I felt so engrossed and mesmerized by what Aphex Twin was performing, that I just could not leave. Aphex Twin delivered a true masterclass in all the things that make Electronic music interesting and innovative. His set finished on devastatingly loud lashing of bit-crushed noise and wild Industrial beats with a vocal sample screaming "FUCK OFF" repeatedly. A darkly humourous way to end a two hour colossus. As the music died down and the floodlights came on, Richard D James waved goodbye to the crowd with a big smile on his face, leaving chills down my spine as rapturous applause engulfed the massive Barn stage.
Aphex Twin
Sadly Field Day 2017 left on a sour note as news started to break that a string of terrorist attacks had broken out not far from the venue. Fortunately nobody at the festival was directly affected and hopefully everybody made a safe journey home. But aside from this, Field Day 2017 will be remembered for being well organised, full of dedicated music fans who were well behaved and contributed towards an incredible vibe and atmosphere across the whole day. For eclectic music fans, Field Day offered what will easily be one of the best lineups of cutting edge artists this year. I had a truly fantastic time!
JLIN BLACK ORIGAMI Electronic, IDM, Footwork. Planet Mu. Listening Format: CD & Digital.
Jlin is the recording alias of Jerrilynn Patton, an Electronic producer from Indiana, USA and signed to British label Planet Mu. 'Black Origami' is her second full length album that expresses a near continuous stream of tracks that rarely take a break. Her sound is very fast, choppy and bass heavy. She plays with lots of percussion, combining wonky techno beats with samples of tribal percussion, often overlapping each other in the same track. Her productions are very loud, packed full of chopped and screwed vocal samples that often become the motif of the song. For example 'Enigma' consists of a vocal sample that sounds like it is repeating "yah ting" for the whole duration.
In terms of composition, her music and the way it is presented is quite crass and very in your face. If you are looking for something subtle, moody or atmospheric, you've come to the wrong place. All of the songs here are quite joyous and a lot of fun. There is a lot of bounce to the production. If you happened to be at a warehouse rave or a Boiler Room set and a DJ dropped any one of these tracks into the mix, I guarantee the whole place would be dancing and getting their groove on.
Sure there is a lot to enjoy on this album and plenty to admire in the overall sound pallet. But there are some shortcomings too. 'Black Origami' is pretty much a one track minded album. It doesn't take long to really get what Jlin is going for here, and by the time you get to track three, you've basically heard everything this album has to offer. The same rhythms and ideas are repeated all over the album, which means if you listen from start to finish, everything starts to blur into one. In the way the tracks are sequenced, it isn't even that easy to tell when one song ends and the next begins. With the occasional exception, the tracks begin and end rather abruptly, and then she'll move on to the next track which will sound just as familiar. This means that by the time you get two thirds of the way through this album, it actually becomes rather tedious and grating. If ever an album was begging for some kind of interlude, or just some kind of variation away from the set formula, it is this one. I feel like Jlin forgets to throw in any real surprises.
On the surface, 'Black Origami' is cosmetically similar to the Death Grips 'Steroids' EP I recently reviewed and rated an 8/10. I also described that release as playful, crass, as being packed with dense and layered, fast moving sounds. However Death Grips had the foresight to keep it to just 22 minutes, and even then it not only had more variation and ideas on display, but also a real fire and urgency to it. Sometimes I feel like Jlin isn't letting her imagination run as wild as the choppy drums and fast shifting beats are. Some of the samples here of whistles, phone dial tones and stock answer machine messages just feel like old hat in 2017. This is something I would expect to hear on an 80s Acid Techno compilation, and even though some of this distinctive samples become some of the more memorable moments in the second half of the record, they stick out as sounding cheap and obnoxious. Jlin is clearly good at arranging her productions and compositions. Her use of bouncing, bass heavy beats, and her infusions of tribal percussive sounds are all admirable. But I feel like this album just needed more. It's like she had two or three really solid ideas, and that was it, she crafted an entire album out of just that. 'Black Origami' doesn't get boring, but it does get tedious. And yes there is a difference between the two. You can easily get down and dance your ass off to any of the tracks here, but you'll soon be begging for some kind of variation or new idea to be introduced as you start to get worn out by this record. And once you come away from it, you realise there hasn't been enough substance behind it to really come away with a meaningful impression. But it will make you sweat... 5/10.
