The Art of Seeing shows a different side of Poverty is Violence. For those seeking bare bones rawness don’t worry, there’s a decent helping of that on here. There’s also more. Sinister sleekness, sly sneers masquerading as smoothness, D-56m subverts as Tapirus doles out damage.
It’s interesting how quickly you develop an idea of a label. For me, Poverty Is Violence is an imprint of angry electronic music. An imprint looking to deliver pain through the speaker cones. That’s my assertion after just two EP’s, but to my defense they were pretty heavy hitting outings. The latest installment on the Dutch label is from a similar neighborhood, but a different direction has has taken; two directions in fact.
The Art of Seeing sees the road divide. Tapirus, dare it be said, is the more melodic side of Charlton, or so I thought. The three offered for this EP have ditched some of the Detroit leaning sounds explored on 12”s for Midnight Shift, instead darker shades dominate the pallet. “A World Of Infinite Possibilities” is a distant work, reduced and removed beats echo into cavernous wastes of reverb. “Steampunk” is an even more soiled entry. Static spoiled the track is abused, bent and pulled into a sardonic shell. Surprisingly the salvation comes with “Deprivation.” Acid lines lap against claps, soulful strings floating above the floor. Whereas Tapirus attacks the physical, D-56m comes at you with psychological scalpel. Samples loop in the estranged lounge funk of “French Cats.” “Question Authority” is firmly set in the traditions of Chicago. Looming vocals drowsily tell of rising up, stark bars and tightly packed rhythms telling another tale.
The Art of Seeing shows a different side of Poverty is Violence. For those seeking bare bones rawness don’t worry, there’s a decent helping of that on here. There’s also more. Sinister sleekness, sly sneers masquerading as smoothness, D-56m subverts as Tapirus doles out damage.
The Art of Seeing is available on Poverty Is Violence.
