An admirable 4-track EP of crunchy electro excursions, but it’s a shame it might get lost among the noise of all the other great releases the past few years have offered.
Here’s a question: If a producer makes a track, but no one is around to hear it, does it really matter what the track sounds like? Another, more specific this time: If an IDM producer makes a track that ends up getting included in a 4-song EP pressed to a limited vinyl run on a small, American electronic music label, will anyone pay attention to it? Would a concomitant digital release make the music seem more relevant, more accessible, perhaps? Will anyone care? I certainly hope so.
I’m on dangerous ground here, but questions like these might be important in evaluating EP’s or albums like Habituation, or any of the thousands of others on small labels that are released continually with little press and fanfare. Of course, I don’t mean to trivialize the work of these obviously talented producers. Obscurity or perceived irrelevance is never a necessary indicator of quality – some of my favorite records are the result of digging through small labels’ back catalogs. However, the question of Habituation‘s audience, and its desired effect on that audience, is worth pondering.
All four songs on Habituation are certainly worth your time. Vector Idol’s “Glib Meetings” starts out strong, a filthy, dark, mechanical stomper; it sounds like it was partly recorded in a cave, with watery revereberations backed up by a crunchy, digital beat and a foreboding atmosphere. Gasp takes the entire B-side, offering “Scrape” and “Brood.” “Scrape” heavily features a noisy, sampled drum kit with cymbals that sound like Zildjian-trash can hybrids (in a good way). “Brood” is a simpler affair, an aggressive beat paired with menacing bass tones. EVAC‘s “The Nothing” is the best on the EP with a drifting ambient landscape punctuated by various glitches, high pitched tones and more physical sounds the artist describes as recordings of cash registers, doors closing, and footsteps in a stairwell.
My only problem with this release is the same one I have with others like it – it might not be heard by everyone who would appreciate it; any fans of IDM or experimental music certainly would, but I can’t be sure it will reach those fans. How can a release like this stand a chance against the tide of free releases on netlabels all over the globe against major labels with more clout who are releasing similar music? Will its popularity be local, along with that of the label? One can only hope these artists get the recognition they deserve and the bigger question may just be left in the hands of those releasing the music. This is an admirable 4-track EP of crunchy electro excursions, but it’s a shame it might get lost among the noise of all the other great releases the past few years have offered.
Habituation is out now on Buried In Time. [Listen | Purchase]
Release notes: Only 200 copies of vinyl have been pressed. Vinyl purchase includes CDR with digital files in wav format (except EVAC’s “The Nothing” which is vinyl only). This release is also available digitally via online retail shops including iTunes, Addictech, Juno etc.
