Robert Logan's second full-length: Inscape

Following the brilliant Accurate Spit Boy EP released prior to this album, April 6th will see the release of Robert Logan’s second full-length Inscape.

Those familiar with Robert Logan’s work will know what a pioneering force he is on the electronic music scene: he makes dark, resonating electronic compositions suited to the abandoned areas of dank cities, the hazy glow of bedrooms in streetlight, and the darkest part of the uncertain subconscious.

‘Inscape’ is a term relating to artistic work, meaning its essential quality. This essentiality is what Robert Logan is searching for on Inscape, more so even than his previous effort, Cognessence.

Also central to the album, we are told, is the experience of stumbling on an abandoned factory that was becoming engulfed by forest in Hungary. The duel between nature and culture, then, is a tension explored on Inscape. In fact, Logan’s recording of both acoustic and electronic instruments is representative of this. Perhaps even the art of music itself, which explores something transcendent and intangible whilst being firmly rooted on earth, is an inspiration for Robert Logan’s sonic explorations.

The opening tracks ‘ Angels and Insects’and ‘Stalactite’ are less schizophrenic that his previous work, featuring an enduring synth undertone that is the lining for a coat of aggressive bass blows and flickering blips. Even the contrast of what sounds like a piano, as unmelodic as it is, lends a hopeful sound to the dark production – something like an essence, perhaps.

In terms of genre, Robert Logan strips elements from grime, dub, drum n bass and dubstep scenes, and uses them in much purer soundcapes. The previously released ‘Accurate Spit Boy’, a highlight on the album, is an example of this, as is the brilliant ‘Throb’ which sounds like Pendulum after too much coffee (and with a lot more talent…).

Most interesting is ‘Balaton’ (name of the expansive Hungarian lake), and ‘The Warmth‘ which after the bursting aggression of ‘Ultraflux’, comes as peaceful (if still dark) electronica. These glimpses of silence, evoking the vast, still, misty waters of that lake, recur throughout the album on various tracks and show not only Robert Logan’s perceptive and sensitive range, but also his ability to create something that acts as a complete album concept.

BBC Online said of Logan that he is “…something of a prodigy… a man that is already showing a maturity and a musical/textural understanding that many simply never find.” And frankly, I couldn’t agree more.

Inscape is available on Slowfoot Records on CD and digital download.

This is a link to Robert Logan’s MySpace.

Robert Logan's Accurate Spit Boy EP

There’s a lot of excitement around the career of Robert Logan. At only 21, he has opened for Massive Attack, co-written the score for the Oscar winning documentary Taxi To The Darkside and is involved with ongoing collaborations with the godfather of experimental music Brian Eno.

His previous album Congnessence was harshly experimental, and now the Accurate Spit Boy EP predicts a refinement of his sound for the his second album Inscape, to be released on the 6th April.

The EP is a testament to why Robert Logan is so lauded. The raw, haunting electronic blips and deep bass buzz that emanate from the five tracks inhabit an untouchable space of their own, resonating with the underbelly of human nature – these tracks evoke bleak fear and dark intrigue.

The opening track ‘Accurate Spit Boy’ takes the basic elements of other genres that have made waves through the underground – grime, ragga and dubstep – and hones them into a raw digital music that remains unique in its field. ‘Pigs’ also stands out as an example, beginning with frantic drum and bass blips before moulding itself around a cold dub-based sound.

But Accurate Spit Boy EP doesn’t belong in the dank underground clubs like some of these other genres, it rather inhabits the lonely parts of suburban bedrooms, industrial wastelands and vast cityscapes. The final track ‘Cut By Concrete’ shows the industrial influence in the relentless hammering of the opening which then goes on to drive the bass-heavy main section of the track.

Two of the tracks – ‘Accurate Spit Boy’ and ‘Cut By Concrete’ – are taken from the forthcoming Inscape, but remixed for this vinyl only release.

It may be that we look forward to the career of Robert Logan, but based on Accurate Spit Boy EP, it’s already arrived, and it’s frighteningly good.

The Accurate Spit Boy EP will be released on Slowfoot Records on 12” Vinyl.  If justice is done, his music will be as great a success as Burial’s innovation was last year. Visit Robert Logan’s MySpace to listen. This is the link to Slowfoot Records.

Snorkel – Glass Darkly (Slowfoot Records)

Released on 28th January 2008

Snorkel’s Glass Darkly album is full of experimentation. A melting pot of jazz improvisation, krautrock and dub electronica. Or as one reviewer put it – “the missing link between Krautrock and Lee Scratch Perry” [Rock a Rolla]

Snorkel are a South London-based collective who were formed 10 years ago by percussionist Frank Byng to “explore and develop strategies for improvisation using flexible line-ups”.

Glass Darkly opens with As The Dust Settles, a dark funky dub tune, complete with throbbing bass and random trombone. It sets the tone for the rest of album. Once past the very accessible opening track the listener is taken into a much deeper experimental place with Lower Slaughter; a syrup-thick, bass heavy, slower grinding track. From here on in, no one gets out alive.

Carpet Flying and The Conversation is a release from the dark and moody, with its lighter jazz experimental overtones, reminiscent of Miles Davis, circa Bitches Brew. After listening to this track I found myself humming the 1970’s prog rock classic Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Group, though it bears little resemblance.

Miles Davis is tangled up with Scratch Perry, Sonic Youth and The Pop Group. Middle-east and afro-beat influences also come to the fore on I Saw It In The Sky.

The album finishes with This Headphone Mix, with its continuously looped wah sampled guitar, wandering trombone, pounding bassline and upbeat rhythm it sounds like this track would make as good a finale to live shows as it does to closing the album.

A brilliant album full of dark twists and turns. An uncompromising experimental album that sounds like a live jam with seasoned musicians.

Glass Darkly by Snorkel is now available on Slowfoot Records.

Slowfoot Records is a small south London label exploring the boundaries between popular and experimental music, working across genres to create new hybrids.

In 2008 Slowfoot Records will be releasing a series of vinyl EPs.

First up is the ‘teenage laptop wizard’ (Q magazine) Robert Logan who released his debut album Cognessence last year, gathering rave reviews from critics and creating a buzz amongst fellow musicianss and practitioners of experimental dance music.

Logan’s Grinder EP features two stand out tracks from his debut album – Lost Highway, which Mary Ann Hobbs called ‘…absolutely outstanding… impossible to quantify’; and a reworking of Error Message. There are also two new tracks – Sanza Live draws upon the development of his live set up and is taut, edgy and somewhere closer to the dance-floor. The nihilistic shudder of title track Grinder is classic Logan and hints at things to come as he works towards his second album.

Robert Logan – Grinder EP was released on 4th February and is distributed by Kudos Records.