Balance of the force

So here's a small cred test for you audiophiles.

If I say Boymerang, and you say, erm, returning wood stick that Aborigines use, I say oh no.

If I say Boymerang, and you say, erm, Aussie boy band, does Motown covers, I say no no.

If I say Boymerang, and you say, erm, cutting-edge tech dnb, I say oh yes.

If I say Boymerang, and you say, erm, cutting-edge tech legendary dnb by that fucking hotshot genius guy outta Bark Psychosis, I say ja ja mein Herr.

Well of course what things are doesn't matter much. What matters is do you love it.

Well, do you love ultraprecise drum programming? Yeah? Then you love it.
Do you love bass is the bottom line in your face hard rhythm? Yeah? Then you love it.
Do you love inventive full-on techy dnb? Oh yeah. I love it.

So imagine how thrilled I was to find this album. I'm a sucker for tightly produced, clever dnb (big fan of Photek, obv.), and this is all that plus an excellent grasp of dynamics.

If you don't know Bark Psychosis, I suppose you could describe it as laid-back, complex jazzy ambient (if that description appeals, you are in for a treat if you seek out BP, because Graham Sutton, teh Boymerang, has wit and creativity to burn). Hex, BP's more famous outing, is like a rainy night in sound (akin somewhat to Untrue by Burial, but from a jazz/ambient angle rather than a dubstep one). Boymerang is far from laid back--it features frantic, fullon jungle rhythms--but the melodies and overdubs are satisfyingly autumnal.

I suppose dnb is just one of those genres: you're into it or you're not. If you are, this is something you'll love right down to your marrow (and I love it!), but if you're not, it's just some more noise.

***

I am also listening to Genghis Tron's grindcore/techno crossover. It's not a description that sounds like it will work but it does somewhat. I love their leadoff EP, Cloak of love, which sounds a lot like someone threw Meshuggah, Aphex and 65days into a room and made them fight it out, but their other stuff is a bit more authentically grindy. Not complaining. I like some grind: metal, dead in the water in the late 80s/90s, has come back as a vibrant, exciting genre. Let's face it. If you don't like an inyerface riff, you're getting thrown out of boys' club. It's cockraising stuff, and you can pretend you prefer jazz, but you'll yearn for the heavy if you don't get any.

I particularly like Arms, which strikes me as the most fully realised example of what they aimed for. Maybe it's just that I love the beautiful riff that soars away at the end, a wonderful chiming row of high notes.

posted by Dr Zen @ 7:52 pm