Optimo alumnus Thomas Lea Clarke makes his debut on Vladimir Ivkovic's Offen Music imprint with a moody set of low-key, downtempo acid jams that play like extensions of Plastikman's iconic 'Consumed' set.
It was only a matter of time before acid's isolationist fringe began to unravel closer to the center once more. With the TB-303 a consistent mainstay everywhere from New York clubs to Eastern European festival stages, infecting a spectrum of subgenres with its serrated squelch, a counter-reaction was almost guaranteed. And on his first Acid Drones LP, Berlin-based Clarke rathcets the tempo down and keeps the beat to a downtrodden slither, emphasizing the emotional vacuum caused by languid repetition. It's a technique that Richie Hawtin perfected on 1998's flawless 'Consumed', and while 'Acid Drones' isn't quite as stiflingly gloomy, it undoubtedly takes its cues from that milestone.
Clarke barely adds a beat on the opening track, eviscerating his doomy portamento waves in shifting, echoed-out pads. There's more going on by the time we reach 'Acid Drone 3', a vertiginous fusion of dubby 303 fidgets and rolling percussion that prods at the flexible sides of the cosmos; we can hear a galvanic kick, but it's buried low in the mix, suggesting movement rather than requiring it. And on the fourth movement, Clarke uses a rolling bassline to bring a little drama, working zapped-out sequences into the hypnotic sludge. The record's momentum swells as it progresses: 'Acid Drone 6' is an airy reminder of the Artificial Intelligence era's peak, and 'Acid Drone 7' sets a robust groove against repetitive acid loops.
Our favorite is the last track; the moment that deviates most visibly from the formula. Here, Clarke lets the rhythm shift into double time, creating a stark contrast with the 303's molasses-slow warble.
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Optimo alumnus Thomas Lea Clarke makes his debut on Vladimir Ivkovic's Offen Music imprint with a moody set of low-key, downtempo acid jams that play like extensions of Plastikman's iconic 'Consumed' set.
It was only a matter of time before acid's isolationist fringe began to unravel closer to the center once more. With the TB-303 a consistent mainstay everywhere from New York clubs to Eastern European festival stages, infecting a spectrum of subgenres with its serrated squelch, a counter-reaction was almost guaranteed. And on his first Acid Drones LP, Berlin-based Clarke rathcets the tempo down and keeps the beat to a downtrodden slither, emphasizing the emotional vacuum caused by languid repetition. It's a technique that Richie Hawtin perfected on 1998's flawless 'Consumed', and while 'Acid Drones' isn't quite as stiflingly gloomy, it undoubtedly takes its cues from that milestone.
Clarke barely adds a beat on the opening track, eviscerating his doomy portamento waves in shifting, echoed-out pads. There's more going on by the time we reach 'Acid Drone 3', a vertiginous fusion of dubby 303 fidgets and rolling percussion that prods at the flexible sides of the cosmos; we can hear a galvanic kick, but it's buried low in the mix, suggesting movement rather than requiring it. And on the fourth movement, Clarke uses a rolling bassline to bring a little drama, working zapped-out sequences into the hypnotic sludge. The record's momentum swells as it progresses: 'Acid Drone 6' is an airy reminder of the Artificial Intelligence era's peak, and 'Acid Drone 7' sets a robust groove against repetitive acid loops.
Our favorite is the last track; the moment that deviates most visibly from the formula. Here, Clarke lets the rhythm shift into double time, creating a stark contrast with the 303's molasses-slow warble.
Optimo alumnus Thomas Lea Clarke makes his debut on Vladimir Ivkovic's Offen Music imprint with a moody set of low-key, downtempo acid jams that play like extensions of Plastikman's iconic 'Consumed' set.
It was only a matter of time before acid's isolationist fringe began to unravel closer to the center once more. With the TB-303 a consistent mainstay everywhere from New York clubs to Eastern European festival stages, infecting a spectrum of subgenres with its serrated squelch, a counter-reaction was almost guaranteed. And on his first Acid Drones LP, Berlin-based Clarke rathcets the tempo down and keeps the beat to a downtrodden slither, emphasizing the emotional vacuum caused by languid repetition. It's a technique that Richie Hawtin perfected on 1998's flawless 'Consumed', and while 'Acid Drones' isn't quite as stiflingly gloomy, it undoubtedly takes its cues from that milestone.
Clarke barely adds a beat on the opening track, eviscerating his doomy portamento waves in shifting, echoed-out pads. There's more going on by the time we reach 'Acid Drone 3', a vertiginous fusion of dubby 303 fidgets and rolling percussion that prods at the flexible sides of the cosmos; we can hear a galvanic kick, but it's buried low in the mix, suggesting movement rather than requiring it. And on the fourth movement, Clarke uses a rolling bassline to bring a little drama, working zapped-out sequences into the hypnotic sludge. The record's momentum swells as it progresses: 'Acid Drone 6' is an airy reminder of the Artificial Intelligence era's peak, and 'Acid Drone 7' sets a robust groove against repetitive acid loops.
Our favorite is the last track; the moment that deviates most visibly from the formula. Here, Clarke lets the rhythm shift into double time, creating a stark contrast with the 303's molasses-slow warble.
Optimo alumnus Thomas Lea Clarke makes his debut on Vladimir Ivkovic's Offen Music imprint with a moody set of low-key, downtempo acid jams that play like extensions of Plastikman's iconic 'Consumed' set.
It was only a matter of time before acid's isolationist fringe began to unravel closer to the center once more. With the TB-303 a consistent mainstay everywhere from New York clubs to Eastern European festival stages, infecting a spectrum of subgenres with its serrated squelch, a counter-reaction was almost guaranteed. And on his first Acid Drones LP, Berlin-based Clarke rathcets the tempo down and keeps the beat to a downtrodden slither, emphasizing the emotional vacuum caused by languid repetition. It's a technique that Richie Hawtin perfected on 1998's flawless 'Consumed', and while 'Acid Drones' isn't quite as stiflingly gloomy, it undoubtedly takes its cues from that milestone.
Clarke barely adds a beat on the opening track, eviscerating his doomy portamento waves in shifting, echoed-out pads. There's more going on by the time we reach 'Acid Drone 3', a vertiginous fusion of dubby 303 fidgets and rolling percussion that prods at the flexible sides of the cosmos; we can hear a galvanic kick, but it's buried low in the mix, suggesting movement rather than requiring it. And on the fourth movement, Clarke uses a rolling bassline to bring a little drama, working zapped-out sequences into the hypnotic sludge. The record's momentum swells as it progresses: 'Acid Drone 6' is an airy reminder of the Artificial Intelligence era's peak, and 'Acid Drone 7' sets a robust groove against repetitive acid loops.
Our favorite is the last track; the moment that deviates most visibly from the formula. Here, Clarke lets the rhythm shift into double time, creating a stark contrast with the 303's molasses-slow warble.