d_rradio - d_rradio
[Distraction]

While Autechre’s “Quaristice” may be hogging all the electronica headlines of late, Newcastle-upon-Tyne based trio d_rradio have been making a splash of their own with their eponymous 2nd album. 3 years in the making and it shows, this isn’t just a release full of cut and paste editing or ‘what does this button do’ production, there has clearly been a lot of thought, effort and time painstakingly invested in this record. It’s an expertly executed release that seamlessly blends organic elements with the inorganic.

Messers Brown and Booth may consider themselves the artful guardians of ‘pure’ electronic music, but somewhere along the line they forgot about melody in their quest. d_rradio clearly haven’t on this outing, given the colour, vibrancy and soul emanating from these ten offerings. Yet people familiar with their earlier output or their genre-defying mixes (where Primal Scream sits comfortably besides the likes of The Ronnettes, Captain Beefheart and Dabrye) will already be well aware that these are the real factors that make this trio so special.

This is the sort of record that is a joy to listen to each occasion it is given a spin, it’s alive and kicking with new sounds, textures and production nuances that seem to blossom incessantly from every conceivable angle. Processed guitars and grand orchestral washes are all woven into an ambitious electronic tapestry along with intricate samples, inventive, streamlined programming and buoyant melodies, while the trio is unafraid to include some danceable elements throughout the whole release – particularly notable on “Lifted” and “A Life Alive”.

There’s Efterklang-like orchestral whimsy to a number of tracks. “Blow Out, for example, possesses an invigorating edge similar to that one would associate with a fresh, sun-kissed early spring morning as mournful orchestration mingles with soft beats and gliding, synthetic melodies. “Way Out” corresponds with these sentiments before giving way to a series of rapid-fire IDM beats à la Khonnor, while ethereal textures rebound from post to post.

With a production to rival the expert nature of Darryl Fitton’s Bola project, tracks such as “Paper Soul, an intricate stitchwork featuring a cycle of guitar, spliced piano and sprightly beatwork, delights with its bright, dynamic veneer. As does the brilliant “A Life Alive” as d_rradio set about stretching the elastic programming around a rasping bassline, while filtering and phasing sounds beyond recognition into a slab of upbeat, head-nodding electronica. “Wish for More Wishes”, meanwhile, is unashamedly playful and intrinsically empyreal, as the celestial assonance of such a piece wraps around enchanted, swaying percussive elements. It soon becomes clear, though, that d_rradio are at home constructing those up-tempo numbers. Both “So Long” and “Bag of Lovely”, while displaying all the production hallmarks found throughout this record, don’t quite have the same impact, coming across as languid in comparison to the more effervescent pieces on offer here.

This is only a minor gripe; for the most part this North East based trio has struck the perfect balance between the analogue and digital fundamentals. While Autechre must take great credit for their services to contemporary electronic music, much of their recent output feels too cold, too sterile and far too mathematical. If you share this view, then d_rradio have an able tonic to cure your ills. Miles from the run-of –the-mill electronic sounds that have blighted the start of this year, this record is an intricately layered, expertly produced, multi-faceted beast.

Track Listing:

Paper Soul
A Life Alive
Rest of Your Life
A Bag of Lovely
Wish For More Wishes
Blow Out
So Long
Way Out
Lifted
Long Way Home