Review: Surfacing – Surfacing

Nottingham’s Surfacing aim to give voice to (amongst other things) the horrors that society tries to suppress. Yet anyone who likes their experimental music embellished by post-punk yet curious about the terrors of the night club will find an album worth pursuing here.

Thanks to its tribal drums, whispered vocals and dystopian, industrial atmosphere, ‘Surfacing (Susanna’s Song)’ builds up as if it’s going to turn into an alternative dance anthem. In fact, to be perfectly frank, there are strong undercurrents of Underworld here. ‘Hypocalypse’ also has roots in the club scene but the edgy spoken word and sense of claustrophobia suggest an affinity with angry post-punk obscurities such as The Royal Family And The Poor too.

As the record reaches its halfway point, ‘Amaurot’ mesmerises with its mix of chants, Eastern rhythms and modern beats; the overall effect sounding like the lost cries of forgotten prisoners as they rattle their cages. It’s a stunning moment. ‘Melancholy Of Fulfilment’ cuts the production layers back further still with vocals now represented by dislocated echoes. This excellent mini album then ends in dramatic fashion with ‘Her Smoke Rose Up Forever’; where the beats, bleeps and rhythms merge into one another to form the thinking man’s floor filler Surfacing had been threatening from the start.

Within each track there is music of stark beauty which haunts the listener with every ghostly step. Experimental music very rarely sounds as vital and as invigorating as this.

Web Sites:
Surfacing Tumblr
Surfacing Bandcamp
Records On Ribs Label

Further Listening:
The Royal Family And The Poor, A.R. Kane, Underworld, Ultramarine

Review: Lukas Creswell-Rost Go Dream

Back in 2011, the Berlin-based The Pattern Theory released their excellent self-titled post-rock album; which found that all-important middle ground between sonic invention and a strong emotive pull. A few years on and it’s time for former member Lukas Creswell-Rost to release his latest album. It has more in common with the likes of Destroyer’s ‘Kaputt’ than the kings of post-rock but undoubtedly possesses similar levels of creativity and emotions.

Creswell-Rost is a fine vocalist with his gentle, breathy tones bearing favourable comparisons with Green Gartside. His song structures are even more distinctive and even if this means some of the risks don’t pay off (the sax solo on ‘Week Of Warmth’ for instance), he generally hits the mark with some clever melodies. Added to this, the lyrical matter is based on rarely-covered subjects such as Yngwie Malmsteen’s air rage, Badfinger and Seinfeld.

‘Foreign Movies’ is busy with squelching beats, seaside samples and smooth synths and the song’s pattern is all over the place but Creswell-Rost has clearly put in the hours; turning incongruous elements into a rambling, warm and intriguing opener and it’s a good indicator of what’s to come. ‘Time Waster’ features a relatively sparse production which gradually develops in intensity and is a definite stand-out but even lighter, less complex material such as ‘Stolen Thunder’ bears the hallmarks of classic songwriting.

A hook-laden vocal and languid Sea And Cake-like rhythms ensures that ‘Own Night Out’ perfectly encapsulates Creswell-Rost’s charm. Yet the album reaches glorious peak as it nears its conclusion. ‘Patient Pilot’ possesses a breezy elegance whilst the stunning title track begins like a beat-hungry Durutti Column and then morphs into a fabulously epic ambient rock piece.

Although it obviously bears influences, ‘Go Dream’ signifies its creator as a true original; creating oddly-structured songs and turning them into multi-layered, dreamy, wonderful tunes.

Web Sites:
Plain Sailing Records
Lukas Creswell-Rost – Go Dream on Bandcamp
Video for Lukas Creswell-Rost – Time Waster

Further Listening:
Destroyer, Scritti Politti, Michael Flynn, The Pattern Theory

Review: Kemper Norton – Loor

Not traditionally known as a hotbed for exciting original music, Cornwall is now doing its bit to improve matters, at least where Kemper Norton is concerned. ‘Loor’ is the Cornish word for moon and you’d be forgiven for thinking that’s where it was recorded.

‘Howsled’ is certainly a bold way to start the album and – with its fragmented melodies, found sounds and unearthly atmosphere – it is more than likely to send experimental music novices running for the hills. Those who persist, however, will find much to sink their teeth into.

It is the vocal-led tracks which are the most rewarding initially. ‘Ostiasz’ frames what appears to a traditional folk song in a shroud of dark ambience and click-clack beats; the song gradually adding in new layers as it mutates into increasingly abstract territory. ‘All Through The Night’ applies a similar formula (not that this music is ever formulaic) but to even more chilling effect. With subsequent listens, the instrumental pieces begin to grow in stature. ‘Cravendale Round’ takes on an enigmatic shimmering beauty whilst ‘Cityport Of Traps’ embraces the joy of repetition with a hypnotic combination of looped vocals and bell rings.

Seven minutes of pulsing rhythms and drones on ‘Helston 91’ may be a tad too long but the album very rarely loses its ability to mesmerise. All told it’s another sterling, original release from the always inventive Front & Follow label.

Web Sites:
Kemper Norton Blog
Kemper Norton – Loor on Bandcamp
Front & Follow Label and Shop Site

Further Listening:
Lutine