CHARLES MURDOCH WEATHERED STRAIGHT EP

What a nice way to start September. I know it's the third already but I haven't done a post about music yet so this is like the 1st September in a way. In a way, it's not, because it's really not the 1st anymore but in a way I'm saying that here is a great start to September. If you have school or university to think about going back to, well, I feel for you.

Here is a set of songs that is going to cushion any wooly heads today, relax any frantic minds, easy up on life and have a little sleep on the sofa kind of music. Maybe that's just the lazy side of me coming out. I think it is. Because not all of this music is as chilled and relaxing as I am making it out to be. What is "this" I keep talking about? It's the Weathered Straight EP by Charles Murdoch of course. From Brisbane, he's released this EP through independent Australian label, Future Classic - who don't seem to be letting up when it comes to associating themselves with very tasty music - and it is a good EP.

Although there's no particular similarities amongst Future Classic artists, not that I can name anyway, there seems to be a fresh future feeling effused from each artist's work. The case is not different with Charles Murdoch. The last song on this EP for instance, 'No Lungs', is a good example. Vocal samples break through the mists of ambient synth that vary between shallow, still, thick and agitated; glittering cascades make themselves known; an urban beat - something akin to UK garage I guess - flits along with glitchy taps.

That beat is something that links all four songs on this album, but its spiritual partner I suppose would be 'Dekire', which features Oscar Key Sung. In what capacity he features exactly, I have no idea. Perhaps he provides the vocals, whose falsetto is gloriously backed by thick layers of harmony in places and lashings of clinical reverb. There's that garagey beat again, here adorned with additional frazzling crackles. Sub bass doomly rumbles. Synth chords pulse and then go absolutely crazy in the last section, an intense and rich wall of sound that cannot help but be admired.

The chord work is particularly lovely in first track, 'Why', too. In this instance it's a gradual build up to the frenzy of synth noise, supported here by strings that give it a sampled feel, something a little more old school. Vocal samples are in the mix too, like whispering ghosts whipped into a cake mix. There's something a bit retro about this one: perhaps it's in those strings. The beat is harsher, more trebly, and a little glitchy. It's urban spiritual.

Then there's the beauty that is 'Light Words VOA', featuring vocals from LA singer Steffaloo. The beat of this song, in a skiffly, offbeat, odd-timed rhythm, sets it apart from the others and helps give the song a dreamy quality. That's not the only thing though: Steffaloo's vocals are quite lovely and dreamlike, an innocent song crooned in aching tones in a tunnel of reverb. There's a real theta wave vibe to this song, something relaxed and drowsy. Maybe it's also in the altered samples of the vocals that sound like yawns, the phasing-in-and-out synth. I dunno. There's also a sound that sounds like Sonic (Mega Drive era) jumping.

There are many lovely nuances to get your teeth around on this EP - so many delicious flavours. Please listen to it and share it with your friends.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Like Charles Murdoch on Facebook
Listen to Charles Murdoch on Soundcloud
Follow Charles Murdoch on Twitter