Hair_Loss – Calibration EP (Bruxist, 2011)

Hair_Loss – Calibration EP
Bruxist 2011

All that I’ve been able to gather is that Hair_Loss is from Philly. “Msrp” begins with glitchy, a-rhythmic synth and drum machine sounds. Slowly the a-rhythmic sounds fall into place and the 4/4 bass beat kicks the song into high gear. More percussive and texturally composed, not all that different from what we heard on the last couple of posts from Kenneth Lay and Metasplice (1/2 is Hair_Loss) a couple posts back. “Tetris Dick” also starts off in a similar way, with the different textures playing in an off-kilter way at first, but soon transforming into an organized beat. Even once the song does “fall into place” it still has a pretty chaotic and frenzied aesthetic because there are so many different sounds that are filling out the beat. “Ballsweat” doesn’t feature as many sounds, yet the synths are quite gritty and noisy, blown out and crackling. “Rear Heater” is composed of a similar kind of dirty, glitchy drum machine, but this time incorporates wavering layers of warm synth drone. It adds a nice counterbalance juxtaposed with the rhythmic grit. Towards the end of the song the rate of the oscillation on the drone is sped up, blending more with the more percussive sounds.

Free download: http://www.mediafire.com/?2wuldv2lliwjniy

Kenneth Lay – Valhalla EP (Bruxist, 2012)

Kenneth Lay – Valhalla EP
Bruxist 2012

Zero info on this free release from Philly based label Bruxist. “The Bet” starts off with some initially free form, modulating analog synth loops. Notes shift at a medium pace and layers are added on top in quite a hypnotic and harmonic way. About halfway through the synth sounds become more fixed and rhythmic as a low, 4/4, bass beat enters, if a bit off-beat with the synth. The bass beat gets pretty fast and techno-y. “At Large” features a couple bass-y beats, this time a bit more rhythmically complex. Things start getting groovier as more rhythmic drum machine and synth textures are added into the mix, emphasizing different polyrhythms. Not really any melodic instrumentation heard, but it’s fine without it. “Ghetto Bird" is composed of a singing bowl being struck with an initially a-rhythmic bass-y synth beat. Eventually the bass falls into place with the singing bowl sound, lining up rhythmically, as more rhythmic synth textures join in on different beats of the rhythm. Definitely an “IDM”/techno vibe going on as the bass gets more bumpin’. The rhythms and textures shift and transform while still maintaining the beat, which is key. “Blunt Fumble” features a similar technique of adding polyrhythmic layers consisting of drum machine and synth textures. The EP maintains a minimalist aesthetic without any dominant melodic structures, but nonetheless I think it works quite well by focusing and exploring more on the percussive and textural elements.

Free download: http://www.mediafire.com/?g71o2hgnhakz6w0