Pinch and Shackleton are proper heavyweights in the outer districts of Dubstep. While in 2007, the first created gloomy and melodic scenes on Underwater Dancehall, inspired by the Bristol-sound of his hometown, the latter generated barren and abstract soundscapes with a dubby basic structure on his album Three EPs. Since then, we’ve all been waiting for their new albums. Now, out of nowhere, a new collab under the somewhat obvious name Pinch & Shackleton has been released at Honest Jon’s without causing much fuzz about it. Apparently, the works of the two curious sound-fiddlers are to speak for themselves. Even more though the unspectacular cover is wallowing in a quiet uneventfulness, which should even make the »New Objectivity« seem an exciting aesthetic experience. However, the collaboration does not only limit itself to an addition of the various styles. Instead, the two musicians have managed to create experimental yet not easily approachable sound-aesthetics, which enrich their works by new influences. Again, it’s mostly this musical understatement that makes the record stick out amongst the rest of current electronic music. Within their abstract sound, muffled drums meet metallic snares, seemingly Middle Eastern melodies meet hissing synthesizers and language and vocals are only used very rarely (except on Selfish Greedy Life, which is permeated by a repetitive, foreign-sounding vocal sample). What comes out is an echoing hollowness, in which every element seems to have its very own place – something even pointed out by tracks like Rooms Within A Room. In addition, the beat-structures are entrenched with affectionate sub-basses and low-key synth-melodies; best exemplified by Cracks In The Pleasuredome, which opens the record and which slowly builds up towards a quiet climax for three minutes, so that these melodies actually grant the music some emotionality. All in all, the whole thing can be somewhat exhausting, but it drives the bass-music into a rough and reflective direction, which has recently got lost more and more due to danceable crossovers with House, Techno or mainstreamy Pop-elements.
Various Artists
Archipelago: Cosmic Fusion Gems From France 1978-1988
Isle Of Jura