Published by Davide Pappalardo on September 12, 2018
English producer George Thompson aka Black Merlin is a name that should be familiar to any lover of experimental and eclectic electronic music. Moving from ambient to tribal, from downtempo to field recording, from house to disco, from EBM to techno, even touching outside sources like progressive rock, he has explored the possibilities of music in works like his album Hipnotik Tradisi (2016, Island Of The Gods) and the EPs /singles Salute To The Light (2013, New Jersey), Amazing Exotics (2014, Crimes Of The Future) Issue N. Fourteen (2016, Jealous God) and many more.
Now he debuts on the Berlin-based label She Lost Kontrol with his 4-track EP simply named Noi, in which he continues his ever-going musical research mixing brooding, dark techno bass-lines, spectral loops, different kinds of rhythmic structures, ambient elements and dry beats. The result is perfectly in line both with the spirit of the imprint, sometimes recalling 70’s and 80’s experiments by underground researchers in synth-based music, both with the aforementioned lust for new sounds and soundscapes shown in the past by the artist.
The A side is open by Noi 1 and its grooving lines enriched by steady snare-sounds and 4/4 beats. The minimal structure sees the intervention of enthralling claps and sudden, sharp effects with robotic vocals and electro qualities. The track is based on a few elements aptly used by the producer in order to give us sawing mantras and industrial soundscapes. Noi 2 deploys almost tribal drums and evocative sampled voices, crafting a mysterious atmosphere in which rhythmic structures develop hypnotizing rides. The union of droning sounds and implacable beats gives us an obsessive number upon which, in the second half of the track, we found shrilling synths and futuristic movements.
The B side starts with Noi 3, a techno/EBM piece with stomping bass-sounds and engaging old-school bass-lines full of energy. Militant snares and sudden industrial-tinged hard kicks complete the frantic songwriting recalling the punkish attitude of Aktion Mutante. The soundscape is here saturated by galvanizing elements and synth-driven techno-rides made to conquer both the ears of the listener, both sweaty dancefloors. Noi 4 ends our journey by the means of obsessive minimal synth pastiches and steady rhythms, envisioning a dystopian drama made of claustrophobic patterns and sparse eerie melodies hidden beneath the continuous march. Riffing loops have their say too, developing a startling mantra which guides us through sci-fi corridors.
AN EP with 4 tracks showcasing different possibilities and sonic worlds linked to the recent wave of underground electronic music inspired by a modern approach toward sounds and genres of the past. Here we have evocative affairs with controlled rhythms and obsessive structures, and faster-paced numbers taking control of the aural experience offered by the English artist. Black Merlin shows once again he is not afraid of exploring the world of synth-based music, adapting his style to his own whim, and to the aesthetics of the label he is working with. Absolutely recommended.
Label: She Lost Kontrol
Rating: 7,5