12th September 11
FIRST LISTEN: Rudi Zygadlo – Achtung! [Pictures Music]
2010 brought perhaps one of the most unique albums in electronic music for a long time. Great Western Laymen by newcomer Rudi Zygadlo not only reflected the dubstep-influenced hip-hop coming out of Glasgow, but it also reached back into psychedelic pop music for a heavy presence of Frank Zappa-like instrumentation and vocals. The quickly shifting song structures and soaring harmonies also had elements from modern pop and rock, most notably a synergy with Grizzly Bear’s similarly evocative compositions. Since then, Zygadlo has been relatively quiet, only appearing on one-offs, remixes, and a downloadable two-tracker. Therefore, Achtung! is a welcome update from a producer with the potential to surprise.
These four tracks certainly feel of the same cloth as Great Western Laymen, but are much more complex and orchestrated, particularly ‘Variously Made Men,’ which could have come from an unholy alliance of Zappa and Queen with its strong vocal presence and jittery instruments that fold in bluegrass, Zydeco, and Polish influences. The sliding keys and horns that intro ‘Catharine’ belie the bass heavy ballad that comes crashing in, while the dramatic vocals could make this a modern day ‘Ziggy Stardust.’ These comparisons to the past go show how unique Zygadlo’s music is in today’s scene, where the focus seems to be so much on ‘the future.’ Looking forward has its advantages, of course, but melding the music of classic eras with today provides an interesting counterbalance.
‘Achtung (Go Easy, Come Easy)’ is a bluesy number, with massive walls of sound that propels the sad number forward with a crushing grace. Zygadlo’s production is quite unlike anyone else’s, flying wildly from density to silence, and low-end bass weight to high frequency melodies within a short period of time. Even though this music is easily danceable and using the same kinds of sounds that modern bass music uses, the way in which Zygadlo’s composes sets him apart from artists he might otherwise sit alongside. The EP ends with a song that exemplifies this, ‘The Deaf School.’ Full of squiggling synths, rolling bass, and warped percussion, the first part sounds like it could be a track on Modern Love or Tectonic, but Zygadlo’s vocals and melodic orchestrations soon blow that out of the water, fusing the subtle electronics with a careening pop sensibility before long. Achtung! heralds the return of one of electronic music’s most interesting producers in a fine and elegant fashion.
Rudi Zygadlo – The Deaf School [forthcoming Pictures Music]
Words: Keith Pishnery // Photo: Nathan Gibson
Rudi’s Achtung! EP will be released by Pictures Music on the 19th September.
