Following ‘Synaesthesia‘, a superb compilation released late last year, growing label Off-Switch Audio unveils a first solo LP to enter it’s catalogue courtesy of Nuboid. The Londoner returns to the label with ‘Nomad‘ LP, where the multifaceted producer conjures up eleven original productions, journeying through various areas of 140 music that quickly evolves into somewhat of a theatrical score. Today I have the honour of premiering ‘Facade‘, one of my favourite tracks on the record.
Signalling the beginning of this eleven track journey, the title track ‘Nomad‘ eases in with a beat-free, ominous composition, teasing the far-eastern tones that become more prevalent throughout the record. ‘Authority‘ continues into sombre, moody realms as it drops into a consistent distorted bass-line, guided by vivid eastern plucks and haunting keys. ‘Relic‘ sees temperatures drop to sub zero as Nuboid turns on grime-mode before ‘Imperial’ enters more trappy spheres, possessing classic trap drums and once again, more intricate theme generating strings. Sandwiched between the short cinematic interludes ‘Sand‘ and ‘Garden‘, the rhythmic dance-floor mover of the record ‘Shuji‘ rolls through in powerful fashion thanks to the bouncy double kicks. The warm and wavy ‘Shinzen‘ alleviates any of the frosty sub-zero pressure from the previous cuts via it’s soothing samples and bright inflections, only to be thrown back into the cold and crisp melodies of today’s premiere ‘Facade‘. The track features some of the darkest, atmospheric low end on the record, which persistently simmers throughout until it reaches the similarly deep, atmospheric sounds of the penultimate track ‘Wasureru‘. With a vision to see the record off with a bang, Nuboid slaps in some huge 808s and rapid scaling plucks for the high energy ‘Flash‘, a truly illustrious way to end what is a beauty of a debut album. An album that is fairly cinematic in some respects and easy to imagine as a soundtrack to a dark and gritty kung fu flick. But most importantly, an album that leaves the ears radiating with satisfaction!
OSD002 is out now and available to download from the Off-Switch Audio Bandcamp.
Check out Nuboid on Soundcloud.
Check out Off Switch Audio on Soundcloud and Twitter.
