Gray Code has at all times been recognized for his variety in sound, just about as quickly as he hit the scene. With clear synths, cleaner breaks and total work that reads extra like excessive idea artwork than dancefloor D&B. It’s no surprise he’s launched on so many premier labels since his first releases in 2017. Now with nearly all the pieces he does being scoffed up by Metalheadz, the continuation of the sonic journey that began together with his Reprieve and Heilos EPs is sort of right here within the huge Renewal album, due out this Friday, January 28, might actually solely be on the mega-imprint.
A sonic journey in itself, Renewal is each a departure for Gray Code and proper down the road of what followers love about him. In some way celestial, cinematic and heavy , the brand new album is as emotionally difficult as it’s musically. Impressed, as most musicians have been these final two years, by COVID and its results on historical past, Renewal tells a contemplative story so partaking that listeners might overlook they’re listening to drum & bass. It’s an expertise, not only a beat.
Don’t get us fallacious; the drum & bass beats characteristic closely in Renewal and can play properly on large rigs due to course they’ll, however there’s an air of distinction and growth into different territory right here that can make nearly each observe stand out. Assume Misanthrop’s Blurred EP or Noisia’s extra excessive idea stuff, a’la “The Nomad” with Mono/Poly: it’s immediately recognizable not as a result of it’s common however as a result of it’s totally different, each musically and emotionally. Tracks like “Prima,” “Primrose” and “Iliad” on this album will, when dropped, immediately take the viewers to a special area. They only occur to be danceable as properly.
There are additionally tracks on the album which can be so totally different that they’re correctly in numerous genres (not that GC has ever cared about style). “Quantified” sounds extra like an industrial producer fell in love with a digital pixie than something within the bass music class, for instance, and “Beginning (Interlude)” is actually beatless, sounding a bit like what would occur if somebody threw the self-playing mods from Switched on Bach right into a black gap. Spaghetti wiring being spaghettified. Trippy.
Someplace between the heavy beats and beatless mod play on Renewal lies our premiere for at this time, “Miserere” that includes a brand new artist, Mounted Level. Following straight after “Beginning,” Miserere kicks off a fantastically, synthy and closely vapor wave-inspired synth with cinematic and celestial sound design. Then, moderately than dropping straight into the heavy mess of sub synth and snare-driven darkish beat, these parts kind of wash over the intro and draw it into mentioned sub synth and snares. From there it’s nearly a battle between the earth and the skies, or heaven and hell, relying in your philosophy, they usually two elements come to a synergistic cacophony on the classically-composed crescendo, winding round one another moderately than battling in the long run. A single, classic synth chord marks the tip of the observe, however not the recession of goosebumps. That gained’t occur for some time. It’s exhausting to assert a greatest observe on this album, however “Miserere” is shut.
There are plenty of ranges to hearken to Renewal on; you possibly can ponder the futility of existence whereas listening to the total album should you like or simply skank away to every observe on the dancefloor. You may recognize the sound design and craftsmanship (like your humble concept nerd creator) or blast the bass within the automotive and piss off your entire city. Gray Code’s such a very good artist as a result of he provides the viewers a alternative. Regardless of the way you wish to expertise it, Renewal captures a musical and cultural snapshot in time and is an epic drum & bass album for the ages; that’s common.
Renewal drops this Friday, January 28 on Metalheadz. Click on here to pre-order or pre-save.
