Today’s post comes from guest columnist Ben White (Aka Aka Roar). Ben is resident DJ at Aka Aka Roar and has had the privilege of supporting the likes of Ben UFO, Appleblim, Kode 9, Joy Orbison, Julio Bashmore, Pearson Sound amongst many others.
Dutch DJ, producer & label head Martyn returns to the long player format this month with his second album Ghost People. Unlike his debut, ‘Great Lengths‘, which Martyn self released on his 3024 imprint; Ghost People is coming out on Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder.
Martyn’s early productions and first album were influenced by Kode 9 & Spaceape’s ‘Sine of the Dub‘ and it seems quite fitting that the opening track of the new album features Spaceape. Arpeggiated synths combine nicely with Spaceape’s beat poetry, not sounding too dissimilar to a Kode 9 production. Lead single Viper is a pretty relentless metallic techno affair, which would probably sound at home on the Berghain’s dancefloor, as would the next track – Masks. Other stand out tracks on the album include ‘Horror Vacui’, which takes the vibe of Patrice Baumel’s Roar or Plastikman’s Spastik to another level with squeaking synths and occasional 303 basslines creating a full on dancefloor workout. Distortions and Popgun both veer away from the more 4×4 inspired framework of Masks and Horror Vacui, with Popgun clearly taking reference from ‘ardkore’ with its plummeting breakbeats, hoover synths and cowbells. Distortions takes more of a steppy approach, sounding a little bit like Joy Orbison’s ‘So Derobe’ in the process.
The new album as a whole clearly owes a lot more to the dancefloor than Martyn’s debut. The 2 years he has spent touring the world and playing clubs has clearly influenced Martyn’s perspective on production, with less emotion and more straight up club sounds. This is not to say the album lacks subtelty but rather that its more club focused than its deeper and more cohesive predecessor. Suggesting that whilst this album should further enhance Martyn’s reputation as a producer it is less likely to hold the listeners attention 2 years from now.
Ghost People – Released October 10th (Brainfeeder).
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Written by Ben White (Aka Aka Roar)