Buzzin Electronic Music

None But The Brave by Trafik on Global Underground

Trafik announce the release of their third album None But The Brave blazing an improbable trail through the sonic space somewhere between ethereal cinematic scores and storming DJ weapons.

None But The Brave began life when the duo – Andrew Archer and John Elliott – holed themselves up for an intensive fortnight’s studio session in the far reaches of Scotland, far from the nearest mobile signal or other worldly distractions.

The 18 months since then have turned out to be almost as intense. They’ve ripped their sound apart, rebuilt it, then taken it to bits a few more times before emerging with an album that both agree is their best work yet.

So just what forces drove this striking fusion of electronic beats, haunting vocals, dancefloor drama and widescreen moments?

The influence of regularly being asked to produce soundtracks for the likes of ‘CSI: Miami’ and Playstation games clearly plays a big part. In fact, two of the album’s tracks have already been snapped up by Hollywood execs.

Then there is the total creative freedom they enjoy being signed to Global Underground. Trafik’s relationship with the label goes back a long way, and has always been based on letting them grow as a proper band, not just as another couple of guys knocking out club fodder.

It’s also down to Andrew Archer and John Elliott’s purposeful refusal to be pigeonholed as ‘one of those prog house dance acts’, something that will surely be dispelled even further when they take to the road again this summer, particularly now they have started experimenting with a full live band setup.

The first single from the LP, ‘Paid Up In Full’, has already set the tone for Trafik in 2010, combining energetic beats, rave samples and John Elliott’s own accomplished vocals with a strong package of remixes.

From the gritty ‘Dark Times’, to the blissful ‘Favored Nations’, through the orchestral strings of ‘Ascension’ and beyond into what was traditionally indie territory, this album is the sound of Trafik exploring their musical boundaries without compromise.

None But The Brave by Trafik tracklisting:

1. Dark Times
2. Changes
3. Paid Up In Full
4. Favoured Nations
5. Precog
6. Leave Town
7. Move Around
8. Recovery Position
9. Ascension
10. The Difference
11. The Great Un-named
12. Neoteric Suite (Part 2)
13. Opus Magna
14. Light Up The Sun
15. Flashback

Trafik release 3rd album, None But The Brave on Global Underground on 28 June 2010.