After compilation appearances for Fat Cat (No Watches No Maps ), Component Records and Subtrac Records, These Found Habits is Joseph Fitzpatrick’s first full length release as Phluidbox.
Combining punchy (and sometimes crunchy) beats with layered melodies and all manner of organic and electronically produced sounds Fitzpatrick produces busily precise electronic music. Utilising thumping rhythmic beats alongside sweeping melodies and the occasional drone, Fitzpatrick uses manipulated and tweaked organic samples as instruments, resulting in an optimistic and intriguing mix of sounds. “Early Rise” and “Quanticion” for example mix rapid-fire beats with keyboard melodies, taking short vocal samples and using them as instruments. “Kinghosompt” dispenses with vocal samples altogether, opting instead for a more abstract digital approach. The last track, “Khetahn”, switches the mood again, this time placing keyboard melodies over a low drone.
For Fitzpatrick’s first release as Phluidbox, These Found Habits is very strong and should place him on the list of artists to look out for in the future. His only danger is that he allows his music to sound too similar to the million and one Autechre clones already on the scene. On the strength of this release though, it looks like Fitzpatrick is aware of this danger and has brought new elements and ideas into his music to add his own influence.
