Adolescent
Golden Halls [EP]
It is very hard to try and pinpoint music with blanket terms such as Down Tempo, some people may even refer it as Post-Dubstep, but I find that hard to believe. The likes of Four Tet have been making this eloquent genre around the same time as Dub-Step came out, in the late nineties. That statement may offend some people, but the matter of fact is, this is no competition. And I’m not comparing Mr. Parish to Mr. Hebden either; I’m just trying to give a little scope on this sub genre of electronic music that can be as slippery as an electric eel. It’s a style of music I generally find hard to connect with but the atmospheres created are second to none and they usually send me into some kind of dream like induced stupor, however that is not to say that statement is derogatory and that I don’t enjoy it.
Alex Parish A.K.A Adolescent is a Brighton born producer who on his debut EP is only twenty-one (oh the irony) and it is a well thought out package. I found it very easy to work to; music to me has different purposes and this serves well as great background music. From the art work to the samples, Parish pieces together an ethnic worldview catalyzed through his musical soundscape. From the foreign quire sample in Golden Halls Pt. 2 to the word play in the track names such as Hangshai. It is apparent that a back to basics, minimal characteristic, influences his style. There are some intricate moments on the EP, for example the piano on K:TV is fazed in and turns the heavy synth on. This is synchronized with the beat and makes for a nice feature. I found it hard to tell in the arrangement of the song where the Wu Tang sample from Severe Punishment fitted in, but that says to me that it is mixed in incredibly well.
You could find it in the chilled out bars of Brighton or you could understand it from the multi cultural markets and the global understanding that is practiced in and around the streets of Brighton. On the other hand, it could just be that he has a good imagination. Whatever Adolescent’s influence is, this EP is a really good start and I wish him all the best.
WORDS: ASH MOORE