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EP

Album Review : Shackleton – Freezing, Opening, Thawing

by Rio Toro

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Shackleton: Freezing Opening Thawing
Similar Artists: Muslimgauze, Peverelist, Demdike Stare, Pinch
Genre: Abstract Electronic, Jungle
Label: Woe To The Septic Heart

I washed up on the shoreline of this unnamable island around noon — or at-least, what I should say, is that the height of the sun at that particular time seemed to reveal it was noon. Otherwise though, it seemed as though I was stranded without a technological reference to my name. Yet within the short amount of time since my unplanned arrival, I had a sort of sense that time as a whole moved differently here. Not necessarily faster or slower, just different — perhaps more angular, or even on a different wavelength entirely. And despite the fact that this place was clearly an island, there was an instantly mechanical presence to it, and I was convinced that if I decided to burrow deep enough in the sand I would reach a high tech laboratory of sorts. In fact, everything I could tell about this island was rooted in a kind of fabrication; from the way the palm trees swept in the breeze so neatly, to the way the birds chirped at the most opportune of times, to the slightly altered coloration of the sand itself. It all seemed synthetic, as if this place I was on was not a true island at all, but one meticulously crafted to look like one. However, this realization didn’t prevent me from continuing to be drawn to it one bit. It was only at this moment that I stood up from the sandy spot I had been lying in since my arrival to inspect the borders of the surrounding area. It was indeed a fertile land, brimming with all sorts of exotic life. There were various coconut trees scattered around the shoreline, and I was able to see a variety of multicolored birds flying amongst the foliage.

As I approached the thickening shrubbery, I heard, only very faintly at first, the sounds of tribal drums emitting from the center of the jungle. They were increasingly violent sounds — mallets pounding erratically on bongos, congas, tympani, and countless other percussive instruments. The sounds instantaneously instilled fear in me and drew me closer into the chaos; I would even say they provided a sense of nostalgia for some unknown part of me. Had I possibly been to this place before in a vision or a dream? Or perhaps heard about it in some ancient folklore? As I drew closer into the eye of the jungle the sounds thickened immensely, and the fluttering patterns adopted polyrhythmic qualities. The brash chaoticness of the endless banging and clashing soon ushered me into a psychedelic haze, and I found myself stumbling to keep afoot. My eyes too, soon became watery and unresponsive, and I noticed I hadn’t been watching where I was stepping. Regardless of my condition, I continued on, and even with my fading peripheries, I felt as though I was becoming more cognitively aware — more intensely attuned to the reality of things.

At about a mile in from the shoreline I realized it was not only percussion that I had been hearing, but an entire ensemble of eclectic instruments — most of which I could not claim to know the origin of. Just like the coaxing qualities of the environment, these sounds were of the utmost intrigue to my senses, yet somehow stripped of their most innate and natural abilities. It was all just a mere fabrication of what I had previously considered to be music, and I could feel my innards shifting to make sense of this enlightening new information. I knew it from the second I stepped into the jungle; I was evolving.

As I continued to draw closer to the source of the music, a warping snake-like melody crept up my backside along the inner notches of my spine. A stinging sensation began ringing through the entirety of my body, as if I had been stung or bitten by a venomous scorpion-like creature. I looked down to see if I could catch a glimpse of anything moving, but it was too late. Everything, from my memories of the old world to my innermost private thoughts and emotions were replaced by a new identity. Stronger and more willful I felt, but also colder, more devoid of a self. Stripped of my humanity, I gathered myself into a stable upright position and continued on, knowing fully well where the path would soon lead me.

Track Listing:
1.) Freezing Opening Thawing*
2.) White Flower with Silvery Eye
3.) Silver Keys*

Album Highlight – *

Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC, OPINION, REVIEWS Tagged With: Album Review, electronic, EP, freezing, opening, shackleton, thawing, woe the septic heart

Album Review: Actress – Silver Cloud EP

by Rio Toro

actress_silver_cloud

Actress:          Silver cloud EP

Score:          6.8/10

 

Similar Artists:          Terrence Dixon, Autechre

Genre          Detroit Techno, Unclassifiable

 

Darren Cunningham is one of the few geniuses in crafting abstract techno. His last two full lengths, Splazsh and R.I.P  have proved to be  masterpieces, holding up through hundreds of listens. If you aren’t aware already, Actress crafts sullen, often monotonous (but not in a bad way) grayscale techno with a Detroit edge. However, such a plethora of different names and phrases have been used in attempt to describe his genre that it is better to refer to his style as unclassifiable. His use of jagged edges and bleak tone invoke dark cities of towering skyscrapers and endless subway systems, but in a much different light than Burial. Where Burial’s music uses club culture aesthetics, you would never hear this music in a dance environment unless the owner wanted to get everyone out of the building. These songs represent urban decay rather than urban sprawl.

This 3 track EP is yet another puzzle in Actress’ Discography. “Silver Cloud” is his first release since R.I.P and is in preparation for his next full length “Ghettoville”, which is due out later this year. He certainly hasn’t gotten any more accessible during his time off, as this is without a doubt his most difficult release yet. While Actress’ output could never be called fruitful, Silver Cloud is based on endlessly repeating structures and underlying themes that don’t present themselves for countless listens. It’s hazier and more opaque even than he was on his appropriately titled debut “Hazyville”.

“Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion” starts with a disgruntled keyboard melody and an ultra lo-fi drum pattern that both seem disabled to the point where they would never be able to carry on for an entire song (no less a 12 minute one). Of course, they manage to, and once the pieces come into correspondence with each other, the song could easily last a whole lot longer. One person in a message board joked that these songs should all go on for at least an hour, joking aside, there is truth in this statement. Once the elegiac harp progression is introduced at the three minute mark, the song enters a state of perpetual continuity. Out of all the tracks here, this is the one you could imagine putting in a loop and listening to for a whole day, almost like a Wolfgang Voigt or William Basinski track.

“Floating in Ecstasy” is more menacing in tone due to its gun cock percussive element and ambience that resembles heavy breathing. Later in the song, a dread induced vocal sample comes into play that seems to be repeating “go away mean zombie”. It’s one of the darkest works in this artist’s discography for sure, and I can’t imagine what sort of schizoid mood I would have to be in to understand its true meaning. Final track, “Silver Cloud Dream Come True” is similarly infuriating. With obsessively repeating drum programming, samples of breaking glass and an ethereal bell chime, Darren creates a mood somewhere between serenity and nothingness, leaning towards the latter.

This release ends up being a particularly murky representative of Actress’ style. The production shows off Darren’s skills as a producer, but we were already aware of his supremacy in craft. All these songs are covered with such a dusty coat of paint that even through repeated listens, it can be difficult to grasp what truly is going on. Through full lengths, Darren Cunningham has been able to convey moods of vibrancy and excitement; it is a cliche, but his past albums have felt like journeys. This EP emits no such feeling, and its destination is ultimately nowhere. Actress is way ahead of the curve in electronic music, but getting to know this release on a personal level feels like a chore.

 

Track Listing:

1.) Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion*

2.) Floating in Ecstasy

3.) Silver Cloud Dream Come True

*- Track Highlight

Filed Under: BREAKING NEWS, MUSIC, REVIEWS Tagged With: Actress, Album Review, EP, Silver Cloud

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