Clark

In Camera

Growing up with electronic music in the 90s, it was inevitable that you would spend your time [and money] with Warp. This was the entry point for most notable electronic artists of the day, from Aphex Twin to Autechre, Squarepusher, Boards of Canada, Plaid, and, of course, Chris Clark. Although coming onto the scene in the early 2000s, Clark managed to captivate our minds with his particular aesthetic of gritty textures and lush melodies, blending the visceral and dynamic elements of IDM and techno with experimental and organic sounds of emotional electronica. I say all this because, at this point, it doesn’t matter what Chris Clark creates – I will always listen to it, and for one reason or another, I will always love it. In the late 2000s, Clark entered into film scoring, the most notable of these soundtracks being Daniel Isn’t Real (2019), followed by Playground in a Lake (2021), for which I premiered a video titled “Citrus“. His latest album, In Camera,  is the expanded version of the original score he composed for Naqqash Khalid’s award-winning debut feature film by the same name. Following Clark’s musings, you can expect a continuation of his sound, vocals and all, following last year’s Sus Dog. “Using my vocals but abstracted in a way that tonally matched the film was the most unique challenge,” says Clark about this album.” And you, folks, know how I feel about vocals in my music. And yet, with Clark, like with all his releases [especially Sus Dog, which featured Thom Yorke as an executive producer], they somehow all fit in, being yet another instrument in the exquisitely layered sonic palette. “The record has a very distinct colour/feel,” Clark continues in the press release, “it’s drenched in muted joy/dark euphoria.” And all of it is blissfully delicious. There’s still a limited edition green vinyl available on Bandcamp if you hurry up.

µ-Ziq

Grush

Having travelled back in time to recall my obsession with electronic music in the 90s, especially around the records released by Warp as mentioned above, I can’t possibly forget the influential Planet Mu imprint launched by the one and only Mike Paradinas in 1995 as a sublabel of Virgin before it became independent in 1998. Paradinas’ output as μ-Ziq is prominently occupying the pages of history and evolution of electronic music, with some of his most recent releases, like Hello (2022), rising to the top of my “best of the year” selections, echoing the flavours of Lunatic Harness (1997) which, by now, is seeped in nostalgia and old skool romance. In case you missed it, I caught up with Mike last year and published this In the studio with µ‑Ziq, where he shared his fascinating approach to production. This summer, he put out Grush, which, once again, seems to warp back in time, recalling the early sample-based techniques of looping cut-up beats, glitchy fragmented synth stabs, pitched-up piano and all. Revisiting the core of IDM as influenced by live performances, these tracks, composed in some hotel rooms on his laptop, strip down our latest obsession with tech and gear acquisition and focus on the “energetic journey which replicates the flow of a live gig.” Fans of jungle, breakbeat and early Relphlex will marvel at the revival of the sound. “Take ‘Hyper Daddy’s’ spiralling notes and twinkling piano, which remind one of early Black Dog or Omni Trio rushing alongside splashy jungle drums or the aquatic acid footwork of the title track with its drums softly bubbling and kicking.” Besides the obligatory 2×12″, there’s also a limited edition “glow in the dark” vinyl, a compact disc, and of course, a digital stream on all of your favourite platforms.