Scratchy Photo - Ideas
[Unsigned]

Spine-tingling collection of ideas from Isle Of Wight's very own, one-man band Ian Law AKA Scratchy Photo. Recorded on a home PC, it's amazing how Law can create so many different sounds with such a lack of equipment. The variety in production techniques could easily be inspired by the naivety of the early Badly Drawn Boy EPs - the quality of the song in favour of the sound quality.

With influences ranging from Vincent Gallo to Dave Tyack, these beautifully crafted pieces clock in at just a few minutes each. Much more than just scraps of ideas, the shortness simply removes any pretention, adding charm and personality. It's in the instrumentals where Law truly shines, 'Shatter Star' is a spiralling post rock number with the most gorgeous riff, two minutes of hair-raising, melancholic beauty. In 'If I Could Dance', we find Scratchy Photo toying with loops, as he cuts up an infectious surf guitar and 808 beats, it's seriously hypnotic. Taking on the role of a whole band and producer has never sounded so fresh.

No instrument or genre is out of the question, resulting in none of the tracks being alike. 'Skitter' touches on 'Kid A' era Radiohead, minimal electronics and programmed drumbeats are fused with haunting, undecipherable vocals. This could even be Hood in the current form. First impressions that Scratchy Photo is simply guitar based are totally unfounded, it would be difficult and lazy to pigeonhole anything here. Breathtaking, original, diverse and a lot of promise, if Domino don't sign him, we will.