Burial’s sound is changing, as is his approach to releasing new material, and as long as he continues in this vein of excellent EP releases we can not only be assured that the future will be every bit as surprising and moving as in the past, but that we also won’t have as long to wait. And really, how can you possibly complain about that?
[Release page] It has become a rather predictable occurrence to read posts from hordes of annoyed Burial fans as they rant and rave about new twelve to fourteen minute tracks being drip-fed to them via new EPs, rather than the new full length album they all believe William Bevan should be released, nay that they are entitled to. It’s also rather tiresome considering the progression from the Massive Attack collaboration, Street Halo and Kindred EPs has seen him on top of his game, continuing to evolve, digress and produce some of his best work to date.
These extended works by Burial probably wouldn’t work as part of a full length album, but the EP format appears to suit them perfectly, giving them the room they need to breathe. Not only that but each EP feels quite different, none more so than Truant, which takes yet another step away from the sound of Untrue.
Just the two tracks this time, but listening to it end to end without paying close attention you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d just listened to eight. And there, perhaps, lies the only problem with Truant, as the dusty, vinyl crackle that interrupt each of the tracks at uneven points—often cutting to complete silence for a few seconds—creates the illusion of many tracks whizzing by rather than one slowly unfurling entity. It takes some getting used to.
Burial’s perfectly selected and timed use of r&b vocal samples remains, as do the irregular tape dropouts, shards of interference and water-droplet or open fire vinyl crackles, but the overall aesthetic of “Truant” is fundamentally different. As already mentioned the track cuts out completely every few minutes before the track resumes subtly or greatly altered, like some self-adjusting, abruptly evolving artificial intelligence. The mood is less grimy, defaced and decaying urban streets and more grandiose, gleaming, automated metropolis, a skyline of neons, skyscrapers and the distant, flowing movement of bustling crowds.
There’s a killer sub-bass thrum that kicks in just after four minutes that can’t fail to grab even the most hardened cynic’s attention but a few minutes later comes an even more critical shift in tone. Rays of light and an optimistic mood pick their way through the clinical blue dusk in an ascending melodic sequence looped with dusty strings that is pensive, nervous even, but undeniably positive in its outlook, consistently wrong-footing and nonplussing listeners to this day. It doesn’t last long before a chilly, echoing and haunted crawl through dirty streets re-asserts itself, however, and the track ends on a glitch-stuck loop filled with mechanical clunks, squeaks and thick vinyl clutter. It is actually a little disappointing, and fails to build upon those few moments of optimism.
“Rough Sleeper” is more recognizable Burial territory, but more so than any of his previous works, is split into numerous, completely musically discrete but beautifully complementary sections. The first part opens with scarcely processed organ tones, pitch-shifted female vocals and uptempo rhythms, giving the piece a warming, almost gospel feel. The second movement is warmer still, with wildly pitch-bent vocals and a looped, high-pitched steel drum melody and shuffling rhythms, before dissolving in the final third, a journey through muted sub-bass rumble, a maelstrom of vinyl crackle and distortion together with echoing snatches of vocals. True to the form of both “Truant” and “Rough Sleeper” the denouement leads to no real conclusion as the stylus is roughly swiped off the record, cutting to silence.
Burial’s sound is changing, as is his approach to releasing new material, and as long as he continues in this vein of excellent EP releases we can not only be assured that the future will be every bit as surprising and moving as in the past, but that we also won’t have as long to wait. And really, how can you possibly complain about that?
Truant is available on Hyperdub. [Release page]
