POSTS TAGGED : Experimental

Introducing: Gadget and the Cloud

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Gadget and the Cloud is the moniker of Cork-based producer Kelly Doherty.

The Cork native has a clear preference for the experimental, pushing electronic sounds into ever more interesting settings. Despite the relatively youthful age of the project, the diversity of sound on display from her releases to date, is rather breathtaking. This is the sound of after hours and early mornings; peaceful, reflective and sombre. Doherty’s latest effort ‘And I Told You Something True’, is a jittery, fluttery and angular listen that is both serene and spectral – and ultimately entirely hypnotic. Debut track ‘3600 Seconds’ is just over two minutes of sinister ambience, floaty synth stabs that render the track both disturbing yet upbeat, with its bright hooks and ravey undertones subverted by a general awkwardness. While equally as captivating, ‘You Asked Me Who I Was’ is more in the instrumental hip hop vein. Plenty of quality to delve into here and hopefully plenty more to come soon.

You can check out some choice experimental sounds below. Gadget and the Cloud is playing Open Ear Festival on the June Bank holiday on Sherkin Island – tickets/details here.

Fold Return With New Single ‘Something Gives’

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Experimental Hip-Hop/Trip Hop outfit Fold have solid credentials when it comes to producing incredible music. Blending this enviable creativity with a social consciousness, they create something powerful and unique.

Fold have returned with their first new material since last year’s superb self-titled debut album. The new single is called ‘Something Gives’ and will be released on September 12 via Bandcamp. The Leeds based quartet felt compelled to respond, somehow, to the heavy sociopolitical escalations of late on both sides of the pond. This breezy, easy on the ears slice of fresh, jazzy hip-hop, is their way of bridging the distances & expressing universal solidarity as human beings. Essentially a vehicle for the eloquence of James Baldwin whose voice, along with that of Alice Walker, is the basis of the track; which is dedicated to the memory of James Baldwin and all that he articulated so beautifully. Fold don’t ever disappoint, and they ain’t about to start now. Absolutely stunning work from one of the most unique and exciting acts around.

‘Something Gives’ will be out on September 12 via Bandcamp. Until then, you can familiarise yourself with it below.

Introducing: Jade Statues

 

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Every now and then, I like to step aside and let others air and share some thoughts on acts/music they feel are much deserving of more attention. On this occasion, it’s my good mate and ‘Millions Like Us‘ co-host, Justin Beats who is here to persuade you of the virtues of Vancouver producer, Jade Status. A big thanks to Justin for taking the time to write this up. Now then, I’ll leave you in his capable hands.

Jade Statues is the moniker of Vancouver’s ambient-electronica experimentalist Jacob Sexsmith. Last month he released a 9-track record, Executive Towers through the UK based Internet label ‘DREAM catalogue’. Previously releasing tracks online through Vancouver’s creative ‘Mountainous Collective’, his 2014 track ‘Phtallo Green’ received much positive exposure. This most recent project sees JS propel his experimental sound into newer, unknown grounds and to mind swelling effect.

A proportion of the JS sound makes you want to throw it through a sizeable sound-system and watch the walls pixelate until they digitally melt. Others are best sampled alone through headphones, preferably with a wide open space to vacantly stare into, that or a blank word document. Sounding like we’ve broken through to the 4th dimension? The Executive Towers digital journey would certainly be my imagining of what that sounds like; swirling vacuous synth, Tibetan mountainside bells, the glitchy inner workings of Microsoft 95, surreal vocals that beguile, as much as they haunt. Sexsmith openly admits such influences as Brian Eno, Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin have shaped his sound, it’s easy to hear this. What’s more entrenched is the deft sampling of abstract vocals, video game snippets and inanimate accapella and borrowings of trap style.

Executive Towers is out now & available from bandcamp, or if you’re into the full immersive experience it doubles as a sountrack to an online surrealist game.