Data is a good mix of harsh sounds, glitch, ambience and solid 4×4 beats that will leave you puzzled if not ultimately pleased.
With a name like Kingbastard (aka Chris Weeks) one might expect the music to sound like a cross between Venow and Gwar. But in fact Kingbastard’s Data sounds not unlike the industrial bastard child of the anti-Boards of Canada.
“Data Loss” might not sound out of place on a Portion Control album with its plodding beat, crystalline arpeggios and barking, distorted echoing vocals. From this track alone one could easily assume they were in for yet another romp through a music by numbers industrial album by a VNV Nation wannabe. Then “Data_Base” comes along with its swelling synth arpeggios and subtle glitch manipulations and you realize there’s a slightly different method to this particular bastard’s madness; when the song ends with a pleasant ambient pad fade out you know this guy’s not just some chump with Fruity Loops, Reason and a dislike of the government. “Data-Stm” is a slowly evolving ambient piece with a certain tone of menace running through it; this would not be out of place on the Blade Runner soundtrack and that’s a high compliment as so much music tries for that vibe and fails. “Data_Bios” is a slow opener as well with echoing square waves over a wash of white noise hiss and a minimal drumbeat. “Data_FUnc” brings just that: a funky, Newcleus-inspired jam that wouldn’t be out of place amongst some of LCD Soundsystem’s better output; there’s lots of fun synth stuff happening here especially some good old 303-esque squelch. “Data-Ctrl” is a fast-paced track with a breakbeat and beatbox pattern reminiscent of good old AFX. It’s a quirky track that’s got a lot of complexity and humor in it if you listen close enough.
Data is a good mix of harsh sounds, glitch, ambience and solid 4×4 beats that will leave you puzzled if not ultimately pleased.
Data is available on Odd John.
https://youtu.be/nxMF6TCs7RI
