Audion: Billy Says So EP
Matthew Dear spent the end of 2007 basking in universal praise for his poppy vocal full-length album Asa Breed. In 2008, he brought back his harder techno alias Audion with this three-track release for Spectral Sound (Ghostly International’s minimal techno imprint).
Eponymous opener “Billy Says Go” begins with a flurry of percussive ticks and half of the simple pentatonic bass line of “Billie Jean” before firing straight across the bow with a prominent, high-pitched synth lead.
The lead doesn’t seem to work on first listen, but it grows, and the track might mark the first time that an Audion track could sound better on headphones than cranked loud at a club.
The kick drum is there, but it’s not propulsive. The song swings instead of pushing, and the end result is more suitable for the couch than the dance floor.
By no means is it bad, but it seems a bit out of character. “Snap Into It” fits a bit more squarely into the Audion template.
It has the same slow burn utilized to such great effect on 2006 record Mouth to Mouth, with the mid-range squirreling around on the periphery while claps, kick, and a simple arpeggio anchor the track. A vocal whisper slithers in and out, and as it recedes, a gradual barrage of hi-hats swells to overwhelm the beat, kicking the whole track into overdrive.
The space that the hi-hats leave when they fade out at the end of the track is a gaping hole that speaks volumes. “Against All Odds” sets a hollow, relentless thud against a bass line, modulated occasionally into a piercing howl. It’s the longest track on the EP at just under eight minutes, and it is also the most monotonous.
As the dynamics of the track focus less on a gradual build and more on sudden tweaks, it feels a bit gimmicky. Overall, the EP is a solid step forward for an artist whose output is always worth a listen.
It may not drop jaws like the exhilarating Mouth to Mouth or 2007 record Noiser / Fred’s Bells, but Matthew Dear’s ear for dynamics and texture remains as sharp as always.
– Patrick Hajduch
Audion: www.suckfish.org
Spectral Sound: www.spectralsound.com