The 'Disintegration State' label has long been an ally of Bricolage. There's been remix exchanges and label crossover live events in the past couple of years. In 2020, Bricolage label head, Fragile X made his Dis State debut with his Panzer Kunst EP to further cement the relationship between the labels.
2021 sees Dis State co-founder, Steve Hadfield, crossing the divide and reinforcing the connection with his "Bangers and Mash" EP.
Steve's recent output has mainly been among the ambient and experimental sphere of electronic music but he's always had that inner chaos waiting to get it's chance. His Bricolage debut release is just that.
"Bangers and Mash" explores the playful side of late 90's IDM. The title alone gives privy to that. The music itself is a cluster of rapid fire drum patterns and wild grooves paired together with gleeful and mischievous synth lines. This rhythmic concoction comes underlined with gloopy, melting and wonky bass and a dose of fizzling techno undertones that tangle it all together. All these elements give the feeling of some kind of bedlam but instead of straying on the nihilistic end of things they remain firmly fun loving and tongue in cheek. At its core, "Bangers and Mash" is the producer's own digital salute to the halcyon days of the twisted and carefree 90's IDM era.
Here's what Steve had to say...
"I use music to amplify my emotions, both when listening and creating. Sometimes I'll channel sadness or anger, other times it's happiness or hope. That process is important for me - it's a sort of mindfulness exercise, inviting whatever thoughts are behind those feelings to venture into my brain and mingle with the emotion of music. On occasion, though, what I really want is escapism instead. And that's where Bangers And Mash enters the equation.
This is my tribute to the peculiar combination of irreverence and hyper-detail which permeated the drill & bass movement in the late 90s. An escapism built upon drowning in rhythmic complexity and taking silliness very seriously. This one isn't about the pandemic, it's not about parenthood, it's not about consumerist capitalism - they're worthy and important subjects, but this one is about adding just one more snare, and maybe another hi-hat, and what if it was a bit faster?"
credits
released April 30, 2021
"...odd synth lines playing some unusual melodies and harmonies punctuated by somewhat erratic and slightly off-kilter rhythms. While loosely defined as IDM, this album seems to have quite a bit in common with earlier jungle and drum & bass rhythmically. " - (On The Fringes Of Sound, May 2021)
"...harnesses chaos itself in order to soar through the nightmarish and intense arenas that live on the other side of the coin." - (Electro Review. April 2021)
"Bricolage" is an underground electronic music label based in Glasgow. We specialize in distinctive sonic adventures from
both local and global producers.