Thursday 16 February 2012

The 2kDozen 500: #62 - Burial, "Kindred EP"

Need to move fast as I'm still horribly behind for the month. New Burial EP.

Burial knocked everything into a six-foot hole back in that there 2007. Big noises became small, and the tiniest glitch and hiss became enormous, became everything. Ghostly vocals struggled to keep in touch.

Little seems to have changed in the world of Burial, which in itself is quite interesting. Had I the time I'd listen back to "Untrue" (although it's not that long since I last listened), I'd make more direct comparisons - but... Boards of Canada kind of moved on from their original sound, however glacial their recording speeds. Perhaps it's the case that Burial still has areas to explore within his original sound. He seems an ornery enough customer not to be pushed or pulled where he has no wish to go.

The title track reminds me of Photek, at least in its rhythm track. The sound of drum'n'bass cutlery being sharpened on the flinty hearts of the assembled movers and shakers. But it's boughs are still heavy with K-Soul weight and avalanche bass twitches.



"Ashtray Wasp" has an Aphex Twin title - in fact, perhaps the perfect Aphex Twin title. The usual sounds of tortured magnetic tape and rusted beats robbed and rubbed of any crispness. They should have delayed making Bladerunner until Burial was around to do the soundtrack. Maybe they should make a silent version so he can do the soundtrack album. (We have established he's a he, haven't we?) But soft! Amongst the asphalt crackles and wobbly, muffled AM radio vocals, is there a differentness? Some heavenward arpeggios that give the track a worn-down, mossy KLF kind of fell?

I think I like it. I'm not yet sure. To the Burialmobile!

Rating: Got to Get to Work, out of Time

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