2 new releases are on constant repeat when I carry my iPod these days: Burial‘s Untrue and Apparat’s Walls. Both these releases feature plenty of beautiful noise, synthesizer lines, enveloping soundscapes, smart beats. They also both generate instant melancholy in yours truly. Apparat’s music is, IMO, the perfect blend of modern melodies sang and played on electric and acoustic instruments (like Stars, Radiohead), virtuostic rhythm programming, and glitchy synths/soundscapes. Gorgeous and timeless, this will be in my top 5 for this year. Burial, OTOH, is dirtier, grimier, like the music that might be playing in a hip bar in Blade Runner. It’s clearly low-tech, filled with dub-step drums, pitched vocals, and dense layers of radio-wave noise, all bathed in large space reverb. Truly urban, it’s the soundtrack to our messy city streets and alleys. You can read an interview with the reclusive Burial here.
December 4th, 2007 at 17:22
I really like Burial’s music. Truly special to me. I will check out Apparat for sure, thx for reminding me, Ned!
December 4th, 2007 at 18:00
Hey Akido, pass on the good news! More people have to hear this great music. Makes for nice presents for xmas as well!
December 5th, 2007 at 11:52
I did an hour long interview last saturday on Espace Musique with Catherine Pogonat, and in my selections was Archangel by Burial…also a track by Synthamesk, d’you know him? Crazy programming, but with a film noir edge. I like it.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:04
Congratulations on the interview!! Very cool. As for Synthamesk, thanks for the introduction to his music. Very much like Squarepusher meets film noir soundtrack. He does seem to suffer from ADD though! lol.