Borderlands is filled with “scenes,” evoked by laid back lounge, Cubist flamenco guitar with a serrated metal edge, interstellar wordless vocals, space gongs, Greek island blues twang, analogue synth gadflight, musing xylophone, fawning piano, lonesome, stranded, and parched piano.
Venerable and voluble producer and bassist Bill Laswell was an early adapter of drum and bass, which, he said, “like all the music that deals with experimental repetition” features “a quality of atmosphere and ambience.” In the nineties, he would release a sheaf of drum and bass work, perhaps most “purely” on Oscillations. Some would argue, however, that it has had its time, that beat music has moved on, generations of it, in fact.
Borderlands is a very likable album, brand new and without a doubt a drum and bass album. Created by the English team of Robin Andrews and Chris Edwards, collectively debuting as Conduct, it is a refreshing reboot of the genre´s above-mentioned atmospheric possibilities, nicely marrying electronica with acoustic instruments. A film noirish, heaving strings late night rainy streets soft opening sets a mood that´s immediately busted to smithereens, but melodic, no-sharp-edges smithereens. Both Andrews and Edwards have past experience in the graphic and cinematic arts, and Borderlands is filled with “scenes,” evoked by laid back lounge, Cubist flamenco guitar with a serrated metal edge, interstellar wordless vocals, space gongs, Greek island blues twang, analogue synth gadflight, musing xylophone, fawning piano, lonesome, stranded, and parched piano.
Rich, colorful and readily accessible at 170 BPM.
Borderlands is available on Blu Mar Ten Music.
