Bendu - Woolgathering
Released: September 3
Los Angeles based electronic musician Bendu (Ben Vance) is nothing if not consistent in his approach, releasing a new album every year. Woolgathering is his latest release and it is positively dripping with the characteristic eclectic assortment of sounds that he is known for. This cobbled approach produces some very intriguing compositions that have a differing qualities of sound with some of it sounding quite a bit more lo-fi while others come in almost too clean and clear. If anything, it provides a fascination juxtaposition. On Woolgathering, Bendu certainly seems to lean much harder in the lo-fi direction, especially when it comes to the vocal samples such as on “Shortwave (AKA Homage).” The grainy quality of the spoken word feels like something from the 1940s era of radio and this quality is extrapolated to the drums, the synths, and almost every other facet of the track. I personally loves the rough quality to all of it and it is just about the perfect length for what it is.
But then we have a track like “Alphabeta,” which uses some very grainy bits of samples from what I am almost positive is an old Speak-n-Spell. These digital crushed bits mainly stay in their own lane, leaving most of the other elements untouched, especially those rather crisp drums. Most of the other tracks feature some sort of rhythmic and percussive elements, with one notable exception in “The Triad.” Not one to ignore his roots in ambient, Bendu gives us this haunting and almost dirge-like track that feels mired in some kind of tarry substance. Everything is dark and languid, which contrasts amazingly with an earlier track, “Motorbike.” If “Triad” is the darkest of tracks here, then “Motorbike” is it’s polar opposite with bright and joyous melodies evoking the happy days of yesteryear, along with thick basses and crisp percussion. It just goes to show off the depth the Bendu can really pack into an album using his pastiche-like methods of sound design.
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