There are certain elements of good old-fashioned rock ‘n roll that have been denied passage through the pearly gates into the heavenly kingdom of electronica. What makes features like charisma and ego so bad? It’s as if electronic music is a way to start from scratch and create a divine, communal utopia of anti-egotistical sound. Modern electronica focuses on crisp, clean programming. Consistency and order dominate, while rebellion and vigor are left on the wayside. But Feedle’s first full length, Leave Now For Adventure, is a Trojan Horse. This album takes all the defining characteristics of recent electronic releases and examines them through a gritty, distorted, almost industrial, lens. Feedle breaks all preconceived notions about what electronic music can be. Each track is an experiment in bringing together the attitude and manic urgency of rock together with the emotive and textured aspects of electronica. In effect, Feedle manages to sneak all these phenomenal qualities into electronic paradise.
What will immediately strike the listener is Feedle’s unabashed use of feedback and distortion. Rather than drenching his synths in reverb and chorus, he puts them into overdrive. The result is a beautiful blend of melody and dissonance, best heard on the opening track “Song For Dogs.” Although he coats his synths in mid-heavy distortion, the overall tone of the piece is neither major nor minor. Each line dances intricately on the edge of darkness, and even when the sonic density climaxes, no track is pushed into despair or glee, but lingers on a much more interesting and less explored emotion, hope.
Drum programming here is top notch and original. Rather than relying on old clichés, Feedle uses the classic electronic drum kit in a new context, enhancing the ambience of certain tracks, particularly “This Troubles All Dust.” Additionally, samples play a key role in establishing a track’s mood. Most musicians use samples to either build a wall of sound (Amon Tobin) or form the backbone of a song (μ-Ziq), but Feedle once again breaks convention, using his eclectic choice of samples to form a consistent, droning sound (akin to a jazz “head”) to lead the track.
As expected of an ex-65 Days of Static member, Feedle brings innovation to a genre that is becoming saturated. His creative use of distortion, drum programming, and sampling is instilling a sense of dynamism and liveliness to a genre that used to feel cold and dead. More emotive than M83 and more diverse than Aphex Twin, Feedle is bringing rock ‘n roll personality to the faceless electronica genre. We all owe him thanks.
-Jack Britton