Charles Terhune offers a sharp perspective of darker, more robust sound scraping filled with dub infestation, electronic smoldering and low end rumblings.
Cathode Ray Tube returns in the shape of a 5-track Abyssalia EP—a smorgasbord of bustling bass, broken rhythms and melodic flares. Perhaps best consumed as chapters, Charles Terhune offers a sharp perspective of darker, more robust sound scraping filled with dub infestation, electronic smoldering and low end rumblings.
“Waterpark” leans on nostalgic synthesizer tones as “Little Glass Flower” elicits pristine micro-techno fractals of light. The multifaceted “TheLesson(Blackpink4)” stretches through over eight minutes of left field mechanical bliss as drenched harmonics cascade about crumpled bits and pieces creating a smothered mountainous landscape. The title track maneuvers into a glitched textural sandstorm and ambient distortion gone awry as percussive clips decay in the background. The creative behemoth comes in the form of “$200 Air Jordans.” This track alone is worth the (name your) price of admission as its blackened outer dub-hop shell rolls into the muddiest bass rhythm intermixed with eerie vocal screeches’ (or are they chants?) and squelched beatwork.
If this EP doesn’t whet your appetite for masterful deep bass electronic mayhem tucked away succinctly, then you’ll also find Cathode Ray Tube’s back-catalog all the more enticing. An intoxicating and subdued sonic trek.
Abyssalia is available on Component.
