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REVIEWS
Red Sky Grey
Far Away in the Countryside
Shield of Shadows
People Disappoint You
Or Current Occupant
Asunder (Bonus Track)
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REVIEWS
Jack Dark
Denizen
Auscultation
Posted: Wednesday, January 23, 2008
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor
Continuing to develop his craft, Jack Dark offers this primer EP, promising even more innovative and exciting things for his upcoming new album.
Having made a small name for himself over the internet, Jack Dark is poised to take on the underground music scene with what is sure to be his most exciting release yet. His last releases in 2005, the Vagabond Neologist album and its accompanying Z-Sides EP, displayed a unique style of songwriting and production, incorporating elements of glitch-laden IDM with an off-kilter style of synthpop - a style he dubbed "synthclash." While those albums didn't gain the attention that they so deserved, they did provide an impetus for Dark to continue his pursuit of stranger and even more creative modes of music. His newest EP, Denizen serves as a primer for his upcoming new album, Darkness Catharsis, showcasing his evolution as a musician while also utilizing his own plug-ins and softsynths.
"Red Sky Grey" begins the proceedings with waves of dark ambience that could easily be the remnants of a broken down industrial factory, driven by resonating, dissonant bell-like tones, and skittering drum effects that prove Dark hasn't given up on his IDM influences. His vocals come in, creepy and enticing all at once, possessing a tone that reminds this writer of a cross between Trent Reznor and King Crimson's Adrian Belew. "Far Away in the Countryside" follows with a more straightforward cadence of fuzzy ambient bass and a conservative beat, making the song somewhat reminiscent of Front 242's slower, more introspective moments, ending with a nice analog-ish synth solo. We then follow with "Shield of Shadows," which is practically an instrumental save for a single spoken line near the track's end, beginning with some oscillating pads that bear a slight trip-hop vibe before the marching beats come in with a plucking synth bass line. The harshest track would have to be "People Disappoint You" with a scraping yet rubbery distorted synth bass befitting a drum & bass song and Dark's incendiary vocals, while "Or Current Occupant" closes the EP out with a light array of dark piano tones and lyrics that sound more poetic than musical, vaguely addressing some of the events that drove Dark to write this set of songs. "Asunder" is included as a bonus track, pumping out some more of those eerie melodies and bass lines.
Crossing genres is a game many electronic musicians play, but Jack Dark does it in so strange a way that his sound stands alone, neither IDM nor industrial nor dark ambient, and yet all of those things. The songs he presents are as unsettling as they are enticing, causing just a slight hint of discomfort in its unfamiliarity, but also drawing the listener in with the promise of intriguing paths to be followed. His skills as a producer have definitely improved since the Vagabond Neologist days as the songs on Denizen sound as crisp and as clear as any professional recording. It's rare to see an artist so dedicated to development and growth in his or her craft, so to hear the six tracks on Denizen is a sure sigh of relief for fans of Jack Dark and innovative electronic music in general.
"Red Sky Grey" begins the proceedings with waves of dark ambience that could easily be the remnants of a broken down industrial factory, driven by resonating, dissonant bell-like tones, and skittering drum effects that prove Dark hasn't given up on his IDM influences. His vocals come in, creepy and enticing all at once, possessing a tone that reminds this writer of a cross between Trent Reznor and King Crimson's Adrian Belew. "Far Away in the Countryside" follows with a more straightforward cadence of fuzzy ambient bass and a conservative beat, making the song somewhat reminiscent of Front 242's slower, more introspective moments, ending with a nice analog-ish synth solo. We then follow with "Shield of Shadows," which is practically an instrumental save for a single spoken line near the track's end, beginning with some oscillating pads that bear a slight trip-hop vibe before the marching beats come in with a plucking synth bass line. The harshest track would have to be "People Disappoint You" with a scraping yet rubbery distorted synth bass befitting a drum & bass song and Dark's incendiary vocals, while "Or Current Occupant" closes the EP out with a light array of dark piano tones and lyrics that sound more poetic than musical, vaguely addressing some of the events that drove Dark to write this set of songs. "Asunder" is included as a bonus track, pumping out some more of those eerie melodies and bass lines.
Crossing genres is a game many electronic musicians play, but Jack Dark does it in so strange a way that his sound stands alone, neither IDM nor industrial nor dark ambient, and yet all of those things. The songs he presents are as unsettling as they are enticing, causing just a slight hint of discomfort in its unfamiliarity, but also drawing the listener in with the promise of intriguing paths to be followed. His skills as a producer have definitely improved since the Vagabond Neologist days as the songs on Denizen sound as crisp and as clear as any professional recording. It's rare to see an artist so dedicated to development and growth in his or her craft, so to hear the six tracks on Denizen is a sure sigh of relief for fans of Jack Dark and innovative electronic music in general.
