Bitcrush - In Distance

etherreal

Un an et demi après un premier album un peu confidentiel, Bitcrush sort son second long-format sur n5MD, label d'Oakland aux sorties souvent intéressantes. Proposant une musique à mi-chemin entre post-rock (guitare et batterie réelle, lyrisme assumé) et electronica, Mike Cadoo séduit avec ce long In Distance (une heure et sept minutes).

Mettant régulièrement la batterie en avant, l'Etats-unien la mêle à des rythmiques électroniques de telle sorte qu'on ne sait plus ce qui ressort de l'analogique et ce qui relève du synthétique. Choisissant parallèlement, et dans le même ordre d'idées, d'offrir des mélodies issues d'un piano mélancolique ou d'un ordinateur mutin, Bitcrush combine ainsi avec réussite ces deux genres que sont le post-rock et l'electronica. À l'aise mélodiquement, sachant intégrer avec succès sa voix sur certaines pistes, Mike Cadoo se signale donc également par un sens certain de l'instrumentation (même si les ambiances et les constructions ne varient guère d'une piste à l'autre) parvenant à utiliser avec acuité les éléments convoqués.

Se laissant aller à des envolées épiques (Drop Entitled), Bitcrush y convie envolées de guitares, batterie encore plus affirmée et basse bien arrondie. À d'autres moments (le début d'And Triage, Every Ghost Has Its Spectre), c'est vers un slowcore plus émouvant qu'il tend lorsque la six-cordes joue en accords grattés, que des nappes de cordes sont installées et qu'une rythmique «roulante» structure le tout. Mais une des grandes qualités de Bitcrush, c'est de savoir bouleverser un morceau : ainsi, And Triage débute ainsi qu'on vient de le décrire avant que les guitares ne se saturent, que le propos ne se durcisse et que le chant n'apparaisse.

C'est donc un album tout à fait intéressant qu'In Distance, nouvelle preuve que post-rock et electronica, quand ils sont bien agencés, peuvent donner lieu à une rencontre pleinement convaincante.

igloomag

Mike Cadoo has nurtured his own sound for many years, once a part of the now-defunct Gridlock duo, and expressing gritty drum'n bass under the Dryft moniker, his most personal work as Bitcrush is a defining sound that has now fully established itself on In Distance. An album that will certainly target a new group of fans to the label, In Distance's thick guitar riffs, scraping ambient infiltrations, processed lyrical whispers and live drums consistently evoke feelings of temptation, imagination and creative reflection. The electrical pulse of Enarc (Component Records) is not entirely stripped; on In Distance the melodies collide and fall against smooth compositional layering and gentle guitar moments brush against gritty beats that build and decompose often in the same track.

Shimmer & Fade, the MP3 release on en:peg, n5MD's digital division, displayed what would soon evolve into In Distance. Crashing vocals and deeply integrated emotions somehow intensify the listeners moods in any direction or path. "Post" opens up with a slow building guitar melody and a calming ambient current until the beats break out mid-way through and the lyrics "I can no longer follow, I can no longer do this anyway" casually repeat with amazing effect. "Falling Inward" comes very close to Ulrich Schnauss' uplifting mesh of percussion, ambience and continual growth within 9-minutes. It's a signature sound that elevates this album into a field that is not electronic at all but rather alive in its feeling and overall mood. The closure to "Falling Inward" is perhaps the most inspirational moment on the album --not as easy to describe with words, as it does with sound, but "Falling Inward" is an emotional journey that doesn't let go. "Colder" is yet another highlight on In Distance, the shortest track of the nine included herein --it glows like no other. The aged beat work and melodic push of this track is as captivating as gliding through a dream sequence that tugs at your heartstrings every mile of the way. The title track, "In Distance," has a more distinct pulse filled with traditional instrumentation and stretched vocals that appear ever so faintly as the chorus line unveils itself in full color. "Song for Three" has a similar feeling --slowly punctuating guitars drift amongst an all-consuming beat that holds your thoughts firmly until its release in the last few minutes. "Drop Entitled" will certainly appeal to indie fans and college radio DJ's --heavy guitars smashing against intense percussion and flowing ambient permutations; it begins to tear apart in its final moments leaving you to gently push repeat on your CD player without hesitation.

On the 11-minute "And Triage," one of the finest moments of In Distance, time means nothing at all in the big picture. Images of times gone by and memories left to grow are nurtured within this track. The first few minutes are slightly intensified --a casual beat patters against your heart until a climactic beginning opens at the center of it all. And just when you thought "And Triage" would slide away into your subconscious, it breaks down into severed elements of itself and begins to gradually take you under its wing three-quarters of the way through. And with a splash of amazing distortion, decay and utmost clarity "And Triage" lifts you into the stratosphere and simply lets go just as quickly. Not only a piece of this huge puzzle that is In Distance, "And Triage" is an entity like no other.

"Every Ghost has its Spectre" and the closing "The 2am Edit" are two gradual pieces of time that are augmented by pure ambient propulsion and sonic passages of human thought. "Every Ghost has its Spectre" speaks subliminally with its softly spoken vocals and casual stream of consciousness while "The 2am Edit" offers a 10-minute voyage of Orb styled ambiences and thought provoking movements in minimalism.

In Distance is Bitcrush's most personal piece of work. Capturing over an hours worth of gravitational elegance wrapped in shredded atmospheres and drenched guitar work, this is perhaps n5MD's most ambitious release and one that will certainly appeal to a larger crowd resting outside of the experimental electronic music sphere. The question remains, however, will this album ever be topped? It's a difficult thought to imagine, so we'll leave that with Bitcrush to decide. Prepare to go the distance and to come back again for yet another trip into an avalanche of audio beauty that is locked in distance.

girlpants

It’s funny how certain naming conventions become associated with certain genres of music. When I first saw the name “Bitcrush” I misread it as “Bitcrusher”. It had been recommended to me by a friend who tends toward IDM/experimental/drone listening, and given his history of recommendations I was expecting something DnB-oriented–hard-edged and loud, glitchy and aggro. Perhaps that’s why I mentally added the “er”. I associated it with Squarepusher, Enduser, and… really, now that I’m taking a look at the titles in my collection, there aren’t that many “er” names. Ok, ok… the association must have come from somewhere else, then, right? Ok… how’s this? The “er” suffix implies action, or an active force in the music–a “Bitcrusher” is a being that destroys data to make new sounds; a “Bitcrush” is a passive emotional force.

namedroppery!

As you might have guessed, the music on Bitcrush’s new LP In Distance (buy: mp3 or cd) gave me a bit of surprise. The drums here are largely live, recorded with lots of reverb and sonic space. They sound massive, but massive the way clouds off in the distance appear as mountains. The tempo is relaxed, the guitars and synths that buoy the drums drift by in a perpetual near-waking state. Occasionally programmed drums come in, usually layered alongside the live recordings. Vocals by Mike Cadoo, the man behind the moniker, occasionally surface only to be quickly sucked under the waves. A couple songs in, I connected with the name; this is the sound of distance, of forced disassociation from an object of desire.

“Colder” brilliantly marries this disconnection with a palpable sense of anger, as crushing drums and cavernous-sounding electric guitars ambush a fairly straightforward post-glitch tune near its end. Opener “Post” puts the live (or at least live-sounding) drums at the forefront and really emphasizes for the listener what a bass-heavy album this will be. Cadoo’s words are near-unintelligible in classic shoegaze style, promoting mood over meaning, the abstract over the concrete.

There’s another (unreleased) track, “As End Begins”, available at his site. His label, n5md, has been consistently churning out great new releases. Another one to look out for is Loess’ Wind and Water, an even more blissed out piece of electronic musical gauze.

textura

Interesting that the graphic approaches for these n5MD releases appear contrary to their musical contents: Loess's uses a high-contrast, almost chiaroscuro style for Wind and Water's cover while Bitcrush's In Distance displays a grey image so faint it disappears when viewed at a short distance. Sonically, however, Loess's hour-long collection tends towards the middle grey areas whereas Bitcrush's embraces contrasting extremes to a larger degree.

Clay Emerson and Ian Pullman's choice of Loess as moniker is apt, as the term refers to a natural sedimentary phenomenon, specifically that loose, fine-grained soil distributed by wind settles into gently rolling slope formations. In addition, the natural dimension of the duo's sound has been enhanced by a change of locale. Originally from Philadelphia, the two currently reside in the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey, making Wind and Water seem an aural snapshot of their peaceful surroundings. Throughout the album's relaxed ambient settings, delicate tones and siren voices rise and fall like elongated breath tones, spurred on by gently clicking patterns that more often than not convey a subtle tribal character. The album isn't wholly laid-back, however. The atypically uptempo “Lomond” snaps to attention, with melodica accents darting in and around flute-like synth figures and percussive clatter; “Sonde” likewise belies the album's restrained persona with a marvelous dubwise flow.

Electronic elements are used in service of an ethereal and bucolic vision throughout Wind and Water. Naturally, Boards of Canada comes to mind when speaking in such terms and, yes, pieces like “Creshiem” could conceivably be a BOC production. Still, though textured too, Loess's tactile music is quieter by comparison and—“Talus” the exception—eschews the hazy, psychedelic quality commonly attributed to BOC. Frankly, when so many electronic artists routinely bludgeon with industrial intensity, Loess's understated approach is refreshing.

In his Bitcrush music, one-time Gridlock member Mike Cadoo concentrates on sculpting a deeply emotive brand of electronic music. Cadoo presents In Distance as a travelogue with each composition flowing easefully into the next. Though the pieces typically last between 8 to 11 minutes, they move through contrasting episodes and hence don't feel long. Panoramic in scope and live in feel, a given piece may put drums at the forefront first and then follow it with a lulling ambient section, which will then give way to Cadoo's introspective singing or perhaps an aggressive guitar episode.

Following a delicate introduction of rippling ambient currents, “Post” incrementally builds in intensity, eventually transforming itself into a post-rock-shoegaze amalgam with Cadoo's whispered singing (“I can no longer follow / I can no longer do this anyway”) enhancing the song's impact. An elegant piano intro then eases the listener into “Falling Inward” before beats move the piece into buoyant Schnauss territory, but its most affecting moment arrives with the peaceful stillness Cadoo nurtures during the song's middle. Desert guitars peal and synths cascade over snapping beat patterns in “Colder,” the tune crowned by a shoegaze howl, while a lovely vocal weave boosts “Every Ghost Has Its Spectre.” If anything, the album grows more heartfelt and paradisiacal with each song. The 11-minute “And Triage” opens in ambient mode before marshalling its considerable forces into a melancholic epic of guitar haze. Surprisingly, the piece then decompresses into quieter passages before an abrupt slam propels the tune towards a pealing climax. Here and elsewhere, Bitcrush's In Distance impresses with the quality of its craft but is most distinguished by its material's depth of feeling.

neural

Elettronica melodica ed altamente emotiva, quella dell'ex Gridlock, Mike Cadoo, in arte Bitcrush, fluttuante, ariosa in principio, cinematografica e ambient, predisposta anche alle incursioni di battiti più sintetici ma forte soprattutto della melanconia post-rock e delle elegiache costruzioni timbriche espresse. Esperimenti forse non nuovissimi ma ancora capaci d'avvolgere nelle sequenze vibranti messe in gioco da questo artista. Contrasti a volte che ricordano l'approccio dei Mogwai soprattutto in 'Drop Entiteled', sesta traccia e nella successiva 'And Triage', stilizzazioni ritmiche e influenze quasi folk, seppur deviate da timide decostruzioni. Nel complesso sicuramente un'interessante produzione.

exclaim!

Mike Cadoo, aka Bitcrush, has focused on making emotional music in the past through post-industrial project Gridlock and solo as Dryft. Cadoo’s latest work as Bitcrush, however, has gone even further into the realm of emotional electronics, mostly sounding like a hip take on new age music for meditation and relaxation. The opening track, “Post,” begins with spacey synth washes before a melodic bass guitar line drops things down low. From there the composition opens up when the drums drop and mellow electric guitar plucking add to the atmosphere before vocals heavily doused in reverb come in. Slowly from there the epic song evaporates into thin air before the strong finish, ending at the nine-minute mark. Many of the tracks are well over eight minutes long, making for epic moments that seem to last forever without dragging. “Every Ghost Has it’s Spectre” shows Cadoo’s strength as a singer-songwriter with dreamy vocals sung in a round and beautiful harmony layered on top. Although this is considered an “electronic” album, the instrumentation proves otherwise while the structure and feel of the songs is more akin to ambient music or down-tempo breaks than rock music. However, the material on this album could make for a great live show with a traditional four-piece band of drums, guitar, bass and synth.

Onde Fixe

In distance constitue pour nous une portée d’entrée dans le monde de Bitcrush, et plus largement dans celui de n5md, qui se présente comme un label dédié aux expériences musicales émotionnelles.

Entrons et voyons de quoi il ressort…

Sur plus d’une heure, Mike Cadoo (par ailleurs membre du groupe Gridlock) offre un vaste et dense panorama situé au carrefour du revival shoegazing, d’un certain post-rock atmosphérique et de l’électronica. Et plutôt que d’avoir à trancher entre ces courants musicaux, Bitcrush préfère les amalgamer.

Sur une base très live reposant sur le Saint-Tryptique basse/guitare/batterie (le premier élément très profond, le second égrenant fébrilement ses accords résonants et scintillants, le dernier plutôt mouvant, parfois clinquant), Mike joue de ses vocalises gazeuses noyées sous la reverb (plus Slowdive tu crèves) et enveloppe cette matière de nappes synthétiques veloutées. Pour un résultat très profond et convaincant, à quelques pas d’artistes couvés par Resonant comme Stafraenn Hakon, Port Royal ou même Dialect (dans les moments où les machines s’expriment davantage), voire la jeune coqueluche de chez Type Khonnor (l’esthétique lo-fi en moins, notamment sur Every ghost has its spectre).

Souvent longs (jusqu’à 11 minutes), les morceaux ne piétinent jamais dans un quelconque statisme, évoluent soit de manière incrémentielle, soit de manière subite, offrant de belles césures, prenant l’auditeur par surprise, le baladant d’une ambiance à l’autre sans signe annonciateur.

On est entré, on a goûté, on a apprécié, on y retournera.

sutemos

The third part of Intelligent Toys series which will come out at the end of this summer will feature one track from the project which consists of one of the n5MD old-timers - SubtractiveLAD - and Bitcrush which has just made his debut on this label. Today I want to present you a second album of Bitcrush that has came out in May. It is called In Distance. And you will surely find many common things to their Denouement track for Sutemos.

Bitcrush is a solo project of Mike Cadoo (he is one of the members Girdlock duo which is well known on the other side of the ocean). After the success of his debut Enarc album (Component Records, 2004) he decided to release his album on his own American n5MD label which releases have been reviewed at Sutemos for numbers of times already. I know the taste of his record company and it is a really rare occasion when they turn into different directions. That is why I was really excited about Mike having his album released on it.

His very first Enarc album was a typical American IDM - it was stuffed with modernity, full of twisted angles, surprises or even moments of noise. It was really hard and complex at the same time but I couldn't say that it was surprising in any manner. Bitcrush has done a good job so I was looking forward to something similar in his next album. But In Distance is totally different and that has bought me. It is already common than IDM is replaced by ambient, post rock and Indie rock melodies with a bit of singing, guitars or even clever silence. Something in between of M83, Mogwai and Manual. It is as cool and inspiring as these releases from my collection of solid gold. Well In Distance might be not THAT good but it really close to THAT.

Such is life that it is really hard for me to write about the things that are really close to me because great music is just great and it does not need any compliments. It is an awesome feeling to enjoy it but when you have to describe all this feelings and experiences you get a lot of questions. It's a pity they don't have correct answers. Live melody that makes my skin shake, background sounds blanket my heart, throaty voice in the distance that connects everything and turns this masterpiece into real magic..

sideline

Bitcrush is the solo project of Mike Cadoo, formerly of Gridlock and d’n’b solo project Dryft. Following the release of the acclaimed “Enarc”-album on Component Records and the “Shimmer and Fade”-EP on N5MD’s sister weblabel en:peg Digital, Cadoo hones his sound further for “In Distance”. Focused around the sound of guitars, live drumming, piano, voice and waves of electronic texture, “In Distance” shapes up to be an enjoyable listening experience. The wonderfully warm flowing electronics and relaxed rhythm of “Post” or “Drop Titled” are gentle and comforting. The fractured piano and fragile beauty of “Falling Inward” builds on the theme, only to be broken by occasional beat interludes and orchestration. “Colder” is more distinctly digital, backed with swathes of moody guitar that eventually disintegrate into hazy distortion. “And Triage” combines soundtrack atmospherics with a burst of indie-rock attitude while “Every Ghost has It’s Spectre” has a distinct air of classic New Order. As this album progresses it becomes evident that Cadoo’s tracks tend to gently unfold and develop, building gradually or spontaneously erupting and dissipating, almost as though he is reflecting his own moods in music as a means of clearing his conscience.

papercuts

Il existe forcément un moment dans la vie d’un chroniqueur où il se retrouve dans un dilemme cornélien: Peut-on attribuer la note maximale, symbole de la perfection, à un album ? Autant dire que le débat qui gronde dans la tête de l’amateur de musique à ce moment semble aboutir sur un abîme de perplexité.

Et puis, il y a des fois où aucun doute ne semble permis. C’est le cas du dernier album de Bitcrush qui se voit remettre dans ces colonnes la note ultime, le 5/5 tant convoité, synonyme de perfection atteinte.

Il y aura bien évidemment des détracteurs pisse-froid rarement satisfaits qui pourront crier au scandale parce qu’ils ne se reconnaitront pas dans la musique de Bitcrush… Ils pourront hurler, cela ne fera que prouver qu’ils ont tort. Car, ce dont nous parlons maintenant – et vous l’aurez compris – est un véritable chef-d’oeuvre.

Mix improbable entre le shoegazing, l’electro et le post-rock ‘In Distance’ a toutes les cartes en main pour plaire au fan de DJ Shadow à celui des Cranes en passant par celui de Cult Of Luna… Et oui! Pourquoi pas d’ailleurs?

Progressifs au possible, atteignant quelquefois les dix minutes, mélancoliques mais jamais dépressifs, tous les morceaux de ‘In Distance’ sont des perles, à tel point qu’il paraît difficile d’en détacher un des autres (citons tout de même ‘Falling Inward’ ou l’épique ‘And triage’). Plus qu’un collier, il s’agirait même d’un véritable ornement.

Episodiquement la voix fait son apparition, lointaine, juste pour appuyer une mélodie, un passage. Bitcrush a cette rage contenue, cette force entre la caresse et le coup de latte. Aucune faute de goût apparente - même le digipak est splendide - ‘In Distance’ est un album exceptionnel et en marge de toute la production actuelle. Bitcrush prouve qu’il est un artiste qui a du style, un sacré style même. On ne peut qu’acquieser et recommander vivement cet album glacial.

evilsponge

The best things in music happen at the edges, at the boundaries and not necessarily beyond them. Don't let the name mislead you. This is no 'geek with laptop' project. Okay, Bitcrush's Mike Cadoo is an established artist in the arena of IDM and drum and bass, but this release clearly demonstrates a love of indie. This is not a drum and bass album. Structurally, it leans more toward the post rock school of "build and build to climax". Beats are mashed up, guitars doodle like the bastard offspring of Mogwai and The Cure and deranged robot electronics pop up from time to time to add fine detail.

There are vocals too. Frail, fragile laments both reflective (on themes of lost time) and defeatist "I can no longer follow/do this anyway". But if frustrations and regrets are at the center of this recording, the whole thing is underpinned by vastly contrasting music. Pretty melodies simmer with the implied danger that at any moment the whole track could boil over. Tensions are added with each layer and you know you're headed for an orgasm or two. Or more! And they come.

Post would probably sell the album on its own. Emerging from a Kitchens of Distinction swirl, Post treads a new path close to Mogwai's Helicon 1, holding back its electronics until a delicious false ending. Falling inward is a serene, oceanic vista whose tranquility belies its occasional robotic tendencies. The explosive Colder is a firm fan favourite, and there's insidious melancholy woven within the track In distance.

The whole album though is geared toward the climactic trio of Song for three, Drop entitled, and And triage. Song for three wouldn't be out of place on The Cure's Disintegration with its statuesque, chiming guitars. The heart and soul of the album though has to be the cinematic Drop entitled. Arguably this is the perfect blend of electronics, beats and guitars. It isn't ambiance, rather it's a mood you cannot ignore. Like a Kubrick movie, alienation slowly builds into rage and the result is a cathartic turmoil trailing off into beautiful guitar skywriting. Very satisfying.

How refreshing then, to find in Bitcrush an electronic artist who clearly listens to music first and foremost, not solely his equipment. In distance could sit as easily between Appleseed Cast and Cocteau Twins as it could between Autechre and Boards Of Canada. It is without doubt one of the finest albums of the year. I also get the impression of an artist who still has his masterpiece within him. Like Jackson Pollock bent over his canvas trying out his drip method for the first time, Bitcrush is on the path to cracking it wide open. That will be something. For now though we have In distance.

release magazine

After industrial/ambient/electronica outfit Gridlock broke up, member Mike Cadoo started his own solo project Bitcrush. This project is more about interaction between electronics and organic instruments like guitars and drums. It’s still instrumental ambient, but with a different soundscape. The songs are often epic, sweeping, string laden affairs, with washes of guitars over the beat and the occasional vocals thrown in. I once described it to a friend as a sort of mix between Gridlock and Sigur Ros, and since he is a fan of both and accepted what I said, I'm going to go with that.

I love how the long tracks evolve, often changing into another style completely after a while. Sometimes several times! “Drop Entitled” starts off with a whisper and atmospherics, and then suddenly after four and a half minutes erupts into a whirlwind of drums and crashing guitars. It then slows down again with mellow guitars and strings. Another such masterpiece is the eleven minute long “And Triage” which twists and turns like a coastal mountain road in California.

If you like your electronica a bit more adventurous, give this a try.

cold room

Lorsque l’aventure Gridlock s’achève en 2004, Mike Cadoo (fondateur du label n5MD) n’attendra pas bien longtemps avant de s’investir pleinement dans son nouveau projet (solo celui-ci) répondant au doux nom de Bitcrush. "Enarc" sur Component avait donné le ton, "Shimmer and Fade" pour En:Peg semblait prolonger et approfondir ce qui venait de se dessiner, mais c’est "In Distance ", diffusé directement par n5MD, qui va synthétiser une bonne fois pour toutes les éléments fondamentaux de la nouvelle identité musicale de Cadoo. Finies les syncopes tueuses, la tessiture hautement électronique et le défoulement technique. Place à la profondeur et à l’émotion brute, voir brutale. En effet, l’accent a visiblement été mis sur l’aspect "cru" des compositions : La production, propre sans en devenir transparente, laisse la part belle à une étonnante spontanéité, presque impétueuse, conférant un caractère live à l’album. Et d’ailleurs, Mike est un musicien avant tout le reste. Logique donc qu’il décide d’exploiter ses talents de guitariste une fois de plus afin de donner à l’album une densité typiquement post-rockienne, parfois évanescente, parfois lourde et compacte, toujours suggestive. Et même si le traitement sonore se veut electro, basse, batterie, guitare et chant restent omniprésents au fil des minutes. Laissez le tout se mouvoir progressivement sur des grooves down tempo à la limite de la neurasthénie et vous aurez une idée de ce à quoi Bitcrush s’adonne lorsqu’il s’humanise.