Revivalism is more prevalent than ever in this day, as is the uselessness of saying so. Too many artists to count are influenced by those who rekindle more than they are the music from the time periods themselves, whether it's '60s psychedelic pop or '90s alternative rock. 2011, however, seems to be the year of late '70s and '80s synthesizer worship. Dust off your dad's old Juno-60, hold a chord, filter it through some arpeggio patch, and you will be crowned new-age-wizard-of-the-month. In the midst of this seemingly trendy excess, there still remain synth-based artists who handle their equipment with care and tact, Giant Claw included.
The title and cover of Midnight Murder, designed by member Keith Rankin, leaves no stone unturned-- a 40-minute travel through an abyss in hyperspace, with brightly colored pixel conglomerations from the world of Balloon Fight and Tetris too difficult to process. Midnight Murder's ethos is best painted with "I Know I'm Like A Ghost"'s tense, pulsing sequences and winding tempo-- a high-octane pursuit across alternate dimensions and intersecting planes, creating obstacles for both the ant- and protagonist. Unlike many, the trio base their compositions on darker loops, pulling their grooves in and out of key.
Giant Claw channel the world of kosmische for the most part though occasionally stepping foot onto 8-bit territory. Aside from its digital timbres, the spiraling hook of "Big Heat" could fittingly score a time-limited race through the narrow corridors of Bowser Castle. Bringing to mind the exploration in early electronic music, these pieces are well-structured while devoid of nearly any revisits: closer "Midnight Chew" fluidly transitions from glistening, meticulous arpeggios to squiggly clusters. Giant Claw display great precision in their dynamic expositions and augment the technical and challenging scope of this otherwise mechanical realm of electronic music.
[Giant Claw Bandcamp]
[Buy Midnight Murder from Orange Milk Records]
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