d-a-m-o Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Sam Barker returns with his first solo EP since 2020’s BARKER002, this time on Oslo’s Smalltown Supersound. While Barker’s previous releases (2018’s Debiasing EP, 2019’s Utility LP) explored the possibilities of kickless dancefloor tracks, Unfixed sees him inverting the musical equation and exploring both the variability and sonic possibilities of a kick-drum – though the final result is not a concept EP. The four tracks emerged from a session that started out as both a technical study in bass drum design and cognition, specifically problem of “functional fixedness”, which describes a mental block that restricts the use of an object to its traditional application. Exploring the so-called “generic parts technique”, whereby an object is broken down into its component parts to help reveal novel solutions, the typical bass drum elements of waveform, transient, and noise were re-combined through modular synthesis to become fluid, expressive and dynamic. However, what began as a rule-based experiment was overtaken by a more organic music making process without specific conceptual constraints, which allowed the music to live and breathe. Tracks were started and then left unfinished, only to be approached again and again over lengthy intervals. Stylistically the result a mix of raw, stuttering, psychedelic growl, kosmische techno, and infinite iterations and of a single groove. In this regard, Unfixed sees Barker not only deeply invested in musical experimentation but also exploring his own biases in both composition and sound design. The result is, once again, a sound and musical framework all of his own. Out August 25 7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDEM Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 On 9/12/2019 at 2:26 PM, IDEM said: It's a decent album, but some insolent part of me is still pining for Utility 2: The Basslines and Utility 3: The Kickdrums. thx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wunderbar Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 who the fuck writes these descriptions jesus. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wunderbar Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 sounds like he discoverd db blue glitch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerwolf Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 I like Barker, but reading that, the gremlin in me is rising!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
species8472 Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 new barker get me very excite. but that write up is barf. take a chill. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxien Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 that write-up is truly terrible....i like hearing the ideas/process behind music if there's something to talk about, but anyway to the important part: that first track is dope. very good stuff. hope the whole EP keeps up that energy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toaoaoad Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Writeup is a bit pretentious yeah but the concept is interesting. Utility was a massive grower. Maybe he'll do hi hats next 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxx Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Great wrap to the summer months--Aphex end of July, Barker end of August, 0pn end of September??? I am become coom if true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba69 Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 barker is cool, so this should be good. Also, New OPN? first time I'm hearing of that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobDobalina Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 This guy's always a solid worth checking out so yeah bring it. Yeah that copy is usual pretentious tripe but you or I could go to bleep, p4k, discogs, boomkat, every other bandcamp, etc. and find drivel 10x worse in 10x quantity in 10x realtime, jus sayin' [burger]Also my watmmuddled brain can only read this thread title as : Unfixed[/burger] 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny O Flannagin Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 This sounds really good, cant wait to hear the rest of the EP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerwolf Posted July 27, 2023 Share Posted July 27, 2023 (edited) Been relistening to Barkers back catalogue. Along with Skee Mask he's pretty much top tier electronic producer of today isn't he. Looking forward to this new release, the new track kicks in all the right spots. I've forgotten about the write up and won't read it again. As Richard says, electronic music isn't made to be talked about. The individual should interpret it themselves in any abstract way they choose. Edited July 27, 2023 by beerwolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattthegoone Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 On 7/27/2023 at 9:08 PM, beerwolf said: Been relistening to Barkers back catalogue. Along with Skee Mask he's pretty much top tier electronic producer of today isn't he. Looking forward to this new release, the new track kicks in all the right spots. I've forgotten about the write up and won't read it again. As Richard says, electronic music isn't made to be talked about. The individual should interpret it themselves in any abstract way they choose. https://youtube.com/@skeemask3013 if you like Skee Mask you might like his YouTube channel, hes always adding to it with new music recos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedisavowed Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 (edited) You know this track really does sound a bit like Autechre if they had more of a commitment to genre Edited August 23, 2023 by thedisavowed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toaoaoad Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 On 7/27/2023 at 1:08 PM, beerwolf said: the new track kicks in all the right spots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxx Posted August 24, 2023 Share Posted August 24, 2023 So bloody stoked and it came true also--0pn at end of September What a lucky pig I am. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedisavowed Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 (edited) It’s been a wild year for releases. Aphex, Ae, OPN, Barker, Andrea, u-Ziq and that’s just off the top of my head. If Boards of Canada or Stars of the Lid decided to release a record that would just seem like the logical progression for 2023. Edited August 25, 2023 by thedisavowed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logakght Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 Probs that description was written with ChatGPT yo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerwolf Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 2 hours ago, thedisavowed said: It’s been a wild year for releases. Aphex, Ae, OPN, Barker, Andrea, u-Ziq and that’s just off the top of my head. If Boards of Canada or Stars of the Lid decided to release a record that would just seem like the logical progression for 2023. Agreed. Add Rrose, Godflesh, Alva Noto and Slowdive!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcom Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 Out now. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Ooze Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 58 minutes ago, dcom said: Out now. Hell yeah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedisavowed Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 6 minutes ago, Ivan Ooze said: Hell yeah So far so good! I wish I was listening to it on a proper system but I honestly can’t wait till later. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxien Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 wasn’t feeling the second track but the rest are good. that 1st track is killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba69 Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 16 hours ago, thedisavowed said: It’s been a wild year for releases. Aphex, Ae, OPN, Barker, Andrea, u-Ziq and that’s just off the top of my head. If Boards of Canada or Stars of the Lid decided to release a record that would just seem like the logical progression for 2023. whats Andrea in this list? not familiar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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