Dryft exist in that sweet spot between classic IDM sounds and the more ambient end of the (rhythmic) noise and industrial genres.
Grainy and distorted sounds generate emotional responses in the listener
The Dryft output is a new discovery for me. Somehow, despite my love of Gridlock, fondness for Bitcrush and interest in the n5md label, my wide sweep radar somehow managed to never connect the dots and delve into Dryft. Happily I now know this is another Mike Cadoo production, and I’m most happy to have discovered this fact.
Dryft answers the questions around why Bitcrush was so guitar / post-rock in soundscape, and seemed to leave behind the electronic dynamics of the Gridlock output. I now know that Dryft is where Mike put a lot of his electronic Gridlock formula! Note: The Gridlock album Formless on Hymen from 2003 is a must have for any IDM fan—and is also listed on Igloo’s Releases we now consider classics article from January 2020!
So, I’ve some homework and catching up to do on the Dryft back catalog which stretches back to 2000! That’s two decades of ignorance for me, the shame! But also the joy of discovering something that I missed.
The latest release, From Stasis, is some album! An amazing introduction to the Dryft legacy. Dryft exist in that sweet spot between classic IDM sounds and the more ambient end of the (rhythmic) noise and industrial genres. IIDM if you will, or Intelligent Industrial Dance Music. This for me is a very happy place, where I can go to give my speakers a good work out and remind myself of late nights at festivals in Germany.
The now defunct Maschinenfest Festival which had its last hurrah at its spiritual home in Oberhausen in 2018, played host to many an artist of this ilk. There was always patience, time and interest in music that was not pure noise, nor only 4 to the floor beat-based or even more hectic break-beats. Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen has one of the best sound systems I have ever had the pleasure to experience, and is a huge space with a high ceiling allowing for huge dynamics. An amazing space for pretty much any type of music, but this sort of stuff blossoms there, and I know where most of the sound sweet spots are in there too!
This is an album for industrial and IDM people, and everyone in-between. Emotive string synths layered with more grainy and distorted sounds generate emotional responses in the listener. The percussive elements help transport you further and higher towards the realm of the subconscious and meditative.
Music for dark nights, dark places, big speakers, ideally with no neighbors! This is ideal listening music for winter nights, coupled with rich deep red wines and extra-mature cheeses. It could be the soundtrack to a night with friends, or for a more personal journey.
The epic opus “Contour” is like a journey within itself. Coming in at just over 19 minutes, it showcases many Dryft facets. From the first half of those emotive strings and fractured rhythms, to the 2nd half where we get ever more ethereal and some 4/4 beats, before the track stops at another station and looses the beats to let ethereal swells sing and shine out.
As usual n5md have made this release available on a nice colored vinyl, this time a smokey translucent one, as well as digital. No CD as far as I am aware, also no MiniDisc.
This is another fantastic release from n5md label owner and helps cap off a fine year of releases from a prolific label. Highly recommended.
From Stasis is available on n5MD. [Bandcamp | Website]
