Drumterror brings his eclectic works to the Infernal Sounds catalogue this week, proving his ingenuity as he debuts on the thriving label with ‘Beyond The Crystal River‘ EP. Throughout an intoxicating five track journey, Drumterror‘s diverse range flows from the glistening peaks of ‘Likeness‘, to the darker ethereal canyons of ‘Random Task‘ – a refreshing adventure through the ever changing landscapes of 140!
New to my ears and clearly gifted, Ed Hodge briefly joins the ride for the initially calm and welcoming waters of ‘Likeness‘, where the Brummie dips his toes into the 140 current. Hodge‘s contribution quickly becomes the track’s centre piece, delivering a portion of vibrant and soulful brass instrumentation that dances over Drumterror’s brooding frequencies, whilst flashes of ambient FX illustrate those that inhabit the mystical river banks. Out on the open plains of ‘Slowhand‘, space opens between Drumterror‘s moody bass tones and unpredictable percussion, with twinkling hints of melody outlining the magical nature of the night fallen soundscape. However, as we head into and ‘Beyond The Crystal River‘, the shimmering crystallised synth tones disperse to make way for the darker corners of the creek. Dominant low end flutters sound track the thickness of the forest’s midnight fog surrounding the Crystal River, whilst ominous growls and menacing horns remind us of the nocturnal creatures that lurk within the thickets. We then ‘Stray Further‘ into the quickly approaching rapids, whipped up by wobbling rock-eroding subs and earth crashing percussion, offering the most volatile moments on the EP. The final leg and one of my favourites on the EP ‘Random Task‘, reintroduces some of the more innocent leftfield sounds to cut through the outgoing murkiness, and we’re reminded of the subtle beauty of Drumterror‘s productions and the soundscapes that go ‘Beyond The Crystal River‘.
I’m not going to pretend I’m a fully clued up on his previous work, but ‘Beyond The Crystal River’ EP certainly shows the most distinctive side to Drumterror as far as I’m concerned. The Londoner brings diversity by the bucket load and embodies the sole objective of Infernal Sound‘s digital exclusive faction – to not only remind us of the breadth of talent within the genre but also the breadth of sound. Whether Drumterror aimed to create an intoxicating fictional world of his own or illustrate the real life manatee inhabited waters of Crystal River in Florida, it’s a beautifully executed visual project no matter what your interpretation may be.
‘Beyond The Crystal River‘ EP is out 18/03/2022 and available to download here.
Check out Drumterror on Soundcloud and Instagram.
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