Clicky drones? Check.
Punchy drums? Check.
Staccato arpeggiations? Check.
The ability to make you dance without a traditional dance song structure? Check.
If we step into the wayback machine and punch up the mid-90′s, cross-referenced with only those four short descriptors, you’d quickly narrow down your search. At the top would be Orbital. (Full disclosure, Orbital is one of my favorite bands of all time, and a big influence on my own productions.) But we’re not in the mid 90′s anymore, so let’s get back to the future-present and punch in those same descriptors. Well, we still have Orbital, but they are not alone anymore. I recently stumbled across a gem of an EP thanks to Twitter. One that joyfully mixes the new with the old, paying tribute to and improving upon a proven recipe.
Cardiff, UK based Paul Foster, aka Dementio13, has eagerly picked up the torch lit some 20 years ago and 180 miles east in Sevenoaks. From his own website, “Dementio13 is a Cardiff-based producer/remixer. His music is a mix of Krautrock-influenced drones, experimental electro, film soundtracks, post-rock and psychedelia.” His four-track ‘Vulcan Foundry’ EP, released in March of 2011 is dripping with blippy sequences, sudden mood changes, and just the right amount of spastic tension and anticipation that made early Orbital so engaging.
The opening crystalline arpeggios of Milling Maschine sets the stage for a mellow, almost ambient sonic journey before a pummeling kick sets in to wake you up. The track occasionally let’s you settle back into an almost psycadelia-laced trip, only to once again pound reality back into your conscious.
The title track, Vulcan Foundry trades the crystalline for the raw, letting you know exactly what you’re in for from the opening notes. With it’s fast moving bass line and subtle sweeping pads, VF would fit in perfectly as a family member of Orbital’s ‘Middle of Nowhere’ album. And just when you had this track all figured out, Paul throws in an incredibly serene bridge of solo bells.
Axlegrinder is another raw, aggressive track, this time centered around a massive sub-bassline dropped under some fantastic DnB percussion programming. Paul even tosses in a couple of short dubstep-esque (everything but the wobble bass) passages to make sure that you’re still paying attention. For those who love finding the intricacies of sound that can be hidden behind a veil of simplicity, Axlegrinder is the track for you.
The EP closes with Steelies, a spastic, droning cacophony of brilliant sound. If Paul had held a seance before composing this piece, he ended up channeling Jan Hammer. Yes, Crocket and Tubbs would have this playing in their white Testarossa as they chased down drug dealers through South Beach.
This is a truly fantastic collection of songs, and one that has been in heavy rotation for the past two weeks on my iPhone. While one can easily find where inspiration came from, it is by no means strictly derivative in nature. Paul expertly uses familiarity as a starting point, but them lets the music define itself in the listeners ears. Because of this, Vulcan Foundry is a truly enjoyable EP, and one worthy of a listen.
Cheers!
You can listen to and purchase this EP from Paul’s Bandcamp page. The beauty part, Paul allows you to name your own price for all of his music. Pay what you like.
If you like what you hear, he’s also worth following on Twitter, or through his blog.
View from My Eyes
