Burial -‘Kindred EP’ (Hyperdub)

Good God.

There are no doubt those who will see the release of a three-track dubstep EP as being something not to worry their pretty little heads about, as they sit there wondering when guitar music is going to come back into vogue yet again.

Well, more fool them. Because this EP -which I suppose indeed IS a three track dubstep EP – is a phenomenal piece of work. It clocks in at thirty minutes, and it’s one of those releases that is rewarding, yet emotionally draining at the same time. Burial’s third album seems to have been a long time coming but the follow-up to 2007’s Untrue (my favourite album of that year) can take as long as it needs to when the enigmatic producer releases music as incredible as this.

The three tracks herein are smply stunning. Whilst it’s kind of amusing that the Hyperdub website has to put the explanatory ‘The skips and cut outs on the track ‘Ashtray Wasp’ are intentional’ the range of emotions that this music reaches is truly incredible. It manages to be music for the head and heart, and quite possibly the feet as well.

The aural equivalent of someone having their cake, eating it and making trifle out of it as well.

*****

Not ideal but links have been posted on Youtube to the tracks. This will let you stream them – I still implore you to go and buy these if you like what you hear!

Kindred

Loner

Ashtray Wasp

Burial – ‘Untrue’ (Hyperdub, 2007)

I very rarely repeat postings here, but looking at the album review I wrote nearly two years ago for this album, I think this summed up that I need to say, pretty much:

“Where the hell did this come from? This follow-up to Burial’s self-titled debut from [2006} is one of the most astonishing things I have heard this year.

Given that Burial’s interview in the [December 2007] issue of The Wire is a rare interview and that he is not prepared to be photographed, I know precious little about the man himself (well, that he’s male). So this really is about taking some at face value without bringing baggage to it. Because while this might be labelled under Grime (and definitely not Grindie, the vocals are manipulated with here, and that’s one of the astoundingly amazing things about this trail-blazing album), Dubstep, 2-step, whatever…it’s the sound of the pieces and the whole itself that amaze you and leave you gasping in disbelief.

Few albums can make such sadness sound so invigorating and a million miles away from the ‘woe is me’ aesthetic that can start to grate. This record is the soundtrack of, rather than just to, the beautiful melancholia of the urban winter, and the dark streets. It reminds me of the pioneering artists of the Bristol sound that came to be known as ‘trip-hop,’ certainly not in terms of songs but the way that the sound and mood of that music grabbed you, as much as the lyrics or the melody.

This is not going to be a long review, because I’m in the dark trying to describe this here. Please listen to the tracks below, and then go and buy the album.

I’m still astounded, and I’m having to re-work my planned best of 2007 list.

***** ”

So yeah, Burial was unmasked…but that doesn’t make the slightest bit of difference. Listening to this album again today reminds me just how good this album is. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of music -and this truly is music that is Urban.

Sadness never sounded so real and so beautiful. If Tom Waits’ career were a painting, it would be Hopper’s Nighthawks At the Diner. If there is an artwork to reflect late night London, it is this.

Burial -‘Archangel.’ mp3

Album Review -Burial -‘Untrue’ (Hyperdub)

Where the hell did this come from? This follow-up to Burial’s self-titled debut from last year is one of the most astonishing things I have heard this year.

Given that Burial’s interview in this month issue of The Wire is a rare interview and that he is not prepared to be photographed, I know precious little about the man himself (well, that he’s male). So this really is about taking some at face value without bringing baggage to it. Because while this might be labelled under Grime (and definitely not Grindie, the vocals are manipulated with here, and that’s one of the astoundingly amazing things about this trail-blazing album), Dubstep, 2-step, whatever…it’s the sound of the pieces and the whole itself that amaze you and leave you gasping in disbelief.

Few albums can make such sadness sound so invigorating and a million miles away from the ‘woe is me’ aesthetic that can start to grate. This record is the soundtrack of, rather than just to, the beautiful melancholia of the urban winter, and the dark streets. It reminds me of the pioneering artists of the Bristol sound that came to be known as ‘trip-hop,’ certainly not in terms of songs but the way that the sound and mood of that music grabbed you, as much as the lyrics or the melody.

This is not going to be a long review, because I’m in the dark trying to describe this here. Please listen to the tracks below, and then go and buy the album.

I’m still astounded, and I’m having to re-work my planned best of 2007 list.

*****

Burial -‘Archangel.’ mp3

Burial -‘Near Dark.’ mp3

Burial -‘Endorphin.’ mp3

Burial’s MySpace page is here