Futurist bliss reflects off every lavish synth sweep on an album that revisits the late 70s of Vangelis and Ultravox. Kuedo uses the modernist canon of sound developed by these electronic pioneers to make songs about the interface between real life and fantasy. If you relive the moment of snapping out of a daydream into the real world, then ‘Severant’ is working as intended.
To get this working, Kuedo - aka Jamie Teasdale of proto-Dubstep duo Vex’d - changed his production methods and went back to basics. ‘Severant’ was recorded deliberately quick and dirty to tap into Jamie’s intuition, his subconsciousness. Kuedo sounds like a 70’s garage band compared to your average contemporary production job. We are right back to Robert Rental and Thomas Leer recording ‘The Bridge’ on a borrowed reel-to-reel recorder in the kitchen.
The notes that aren’t there, the gaps and the glitches - They all contribute to a dreamlike atmosphere that is a common theme among the cream of late 70’s, early 80’s electronic music but hard to replicate today. These songs are proud to sound artifical because they want to break with real world humdrum and explore fantasy.’Severant’ is a decent stab at making such a record today, in 2011.
Fantasy and its love child futurism are the main topics of ‘Severant’. For Kuedo, futurism is not only the technological optimism of Vangelis but also the forward looking destroy-all-bridges fervour of Chicago’s Footworking scene and its radical rhythms. And fantasy comes in many forms, not only the futuristic pipe dream but the ambivalent attitude to reality expressed in the boasts of coke rap MCs.
‘Severant’ is also quite theatrical in a way that continues the tradition of 70’s bands like Tuxedomoon or The Residents, who came from a performance art background. Kuedo paints a palette of moods in his songs as you would score a stage play or a movie. Songs are just fleeting impressions: From the industrial ‘Ant City’ to the darkly romantic ‘Shutter Light Girl’ to the soothing closer ‘Memory Rain’.
Whether you are a fan of 70’s electronica, are feeling nostalgic for 1980’s New Wave or simply want an ambient soundtrack that sounds different to the usual fare, ‘Severant’ deserves your attention.
Kuedo’s debut album ‘Severant’ is due to be released by UK indie Planet Mu on Monday, October 17th. The vinyl format comes with free digital downlode code.
To order or to listen to a preview of ‘Severant’, please click here.
