Staff Reviews
Walton - Beyond
Twenty-two-year-old Walton's Beyond is a nuanced, well-rounded debut, indistinguishable in quality from the more established artists on Hyperdub.»
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Walton's forte seems to be finding a really fresh and subtle intersection between music that doesn't seem to naturally fit together: old eski grime, funky and Detroit house and techno but with smudged edges and a colourful industrial sound palette that gives a real richness to his productions. Walton's music is never sombre or angry, but is about subtle combinations; there is an appealing, soulful sensuality to his beautifully crafted and joyous music. He says of the album "I just wanted there to be a contrast between bright and dark, I didn't want to stick to a specific genre either. Just a vibe." Walton's young enough to hear older elements of dance music with fresh ears - a recent Hacienda reunion was an ear opener, hearing the stripped back power of acid house for the first time influenced some of the music on 'Beyond', in the way that a handful of contrasting elements can be placed together to create an exciting whole. Tracks like 'Need To Feel' find this idea in action, this catholic but balanced take on production working in effect, with funky basslines, garage woodblocks and ambient atmospherics. On 'Can't You See', grimey kicks and claps are pitched against swooning, trancey strings, and 'Every Night's tough grimey synth horns work in tune with echoed guitar licks and pumping kicks.
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