I’ll be able to come back to this music time and time again and find new things and hidden meanings. It holds a philosophy to it that is quite rare to come across in electronic music. It has certain depth to it, music that can not only be heard, but studied and felt. Music that has the ability to change you slightly—in a positive and healthy way of course.
Pioneering work in both sound and message
Clocolan says that “It’s Not Too Early For Each Other.” Now that is a bold statement. One that should ring true with us all in these times.
It’s Not Too Early For Each Other begins with “Negative Delta S” and the music hails in from the sky like the seven trumpets of revelation. A wondrous musical statement. Delta means change, so negative delta is a change of decreasing value. Musically it doesn’t sound like decay, it sounds like a siren of hope. A strong and positive stream of warm synths rush in to awaken us from our sleep.
The second track, “White Swallows in Dark Valleys” is next to play. With the sound of rain and the passing of a storm gently fading away the track progresses with glowing rhythms and fantastic leads set against a heart wrenching drone. I’ve heard that swallows are considered good luck to farmers when they’re nesting in their barns. Maybe the track title is significant and that we should always look for signs of hope in trying times.
“Now You Are” is both peaceful and creepy, with what sounds like a child repeating the phrase “Now you are.” This sounds very hypnotic and It has a very Geogaddi like vibe to it, it raises a lot of questions and is definitely one to reflect upon.
The landscape is not empty; it is in decay and we are its children. ~Clocolan (aka Emlyn Ellis Addison)
There’s moments where Boards of Canada fanatics will be playing these tracks backwards and track 5, “We’ve Said Very Few True Words Since” is one of them. After a couple of sonic vignettes we come to “Thirstland.” The track doesn’t give much of itself away. Flowing perfectly, but not really holding a pattern and forever moulding around itself like a river making many different turns and changes in direction, carving a way through a dry landscape and bringing change (reminiscent of BoC’s “Palace Posy” and its chugging, nostalgic rhythm.)
Another short track is “Evolve to Extinction.” A paradoxical title that likely indicates how we’ve become so good at surviving that we haven’t had the intelligence to see certain disasters creeping upon us. Or, that have seen the warnings, but because of other domineering factors it’s been a long journey for this information to come floating to the surface. There are some nice little whispering samples here. I wish I could make them out. I believe one sample says something along the lines of “We cannot happen again” possibly? A lovely halfway point on the album.
Let the future be unknown again
The rest of the journey I’ll let you hear for yourself. I will say is that this is pioneering work in both sound and message. There is longevity here, the detail and beauty of the textures is outstanding. I get the feeling that I’ll be able to come back to this music time and time again and find new things and hidden meanings. It holds a philosophy to it that is quite rare to come across in electronic music. It has certain depth to it, music that can not only be heard, but studied and felt. Music that has the ability to change you slightly—in a positive and healthy way of course.
It’s Not Too Early For Each Other is available on Castles In Space. [Bandcamp]
