Uchelfa, 2006
This 3-inch CD-R release is packaged with a glass vial of yellow dye, which seems like a postal and customs nightmare for a mail-order label (especially with its September 11 release date).
Quinoline Yellow is one of just a few traditional IDM stalwarts. The opening track, “Powys Quoits,” presents a slow-building melody over beats reminiscent of nineties Autechre. “Miniature Cockroach Cab” and “Carrageenan” both have a similar feel. “Clos Pen Glin2” is a quintessential IDM title. It’s my favorite track here, with a bigger, crunchier beat, video game phaser-fire, and repeating vocal snippets. I swear a couple of sounds are straight off Tri-Repetae, though. “The Wash Pool” is a murky production over a fairly fast beat. Finally “Bob Brigham’s Gold Chariot” completes the series with mildly quirky complexity.
As much as I enjoyed the era of electronics this EP recalls, I would love to hear Luke Williams expand his repertoire. His production is impeccable, but stylistically he hasn’t progressed very far.