PRICE:
$15.50
IN STOCK
ARTIST
TITLE
Broadcast
FORMAT
CD

LABEL
CATALOG #
ACRE 002CD ACRE 002CD
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
5/24/2011

This is the debut album from Hyetal aka David Corney. A key player in the new wave of underground dance music, Bristol-based Hyetal has grabbed the attention of many with a series of acclaimed off-kilter dancefloor releases on Punch Drunk, Planet Mu and Orca. Broadcast sees the producer recalibrate his sound for an exploration of the album format, shifting focus to shorter pieces and at times traditional song structure, effortlessly combining such diverse influences as John Carpenter, Boards Of Canada, early '90s computer games and Prince yet retaining the sound system dynamics of cutting-edge UK bass music. The album rejects the glistening clarity so easily obtained with digital technology and swells with analog noise, disembodied voices and a twisted sense of space. At certain points, the field recordings and atmosphere nearly take the forefront, as if the music was already synched to a film, the audio track from a lost '80s neo-noir. "Diamond Islands" sets the tone perfectly -- ominous synths, crackle and bass stabs underpin the breathy vocals of Alison Garner, punctuated by caustic kicks and snares. "The Chase" highlights a different side -- opening with tape hiss and a low drone, it quickly expands into a dark soundscape of menacing arpeggios and haunting strings, calling to mind the atmospheric work of the aforementioned John Carpenter at his best. We mustn't forget "Phoenix," however; Hyetal's calling card from 2010 that set the heart of journalists, bloggers and the audience alight with its widescreen soaring melodies and infectious bass line -- truly an example of 21st century machine soul. Hyetal represents a new wave of post-Blake dark/light musicians sitting comfortably in a world populated by both Oneohtrix Point Never, Games and Salem. Broadcast is a truly seismic achievement and is sure to cement Hyetal's status as one of the most exciting new producers of recent times -- able to both ignite dancefloors and excite armchair enthusiasts.