NYZ

NYZ

Old Trx [87-93]

The Death Of Rave

“Following his mind-bending ’SHFTR FRQ’ LP for The Death of Rave in 2018, the award-winning, UK-born and Aussie-based artist/scientist excavates his HD from a golden era when synf and computer music boffins were building the future in bedroom studios, using then early versions of Cubase and Amiga software to establish the templates for decades of rave and electronic dance music to come. However, like a rare, mutant dinosaur skeleton that doesn’t fit historic models, NYZ’s unarchiving of ‘OLD TRX [87-93]’ offers a complex and unusually chaotic range of ideas for this era - from meditation tape-sampling downbeats to nutty proto-speed garage and animated noise - that plays out like a comic book or pulpy sci-fi narrative and smartly showcases the breadth of Dave’s prized imagination and technical nous. In 11 parts arranged for a properly immersive listen, ‘OLD TRX [87-93]’ wends from squashed ‘80s cyberpunk sci-fi in ‘damage’ to the hypnagogic swag of ‘self_hypnotic_tapez’ via a spectrum of mutant dance floor and avant oddities alongside a bezerker breakbeat razz in ‘patheticsocialmisfits’ and what sounds like proto-speed garage in the warped bass of ‘flatline’. But he never uses the same drum pattern twice, and thanks to the inclusion of wildcards such as the scorching noise piece ‘JP4_PhonosonicsRM_DRN’ and the sleazy proto-trance of ‘CEZbulgan’, the sequencing ideally lends itself to jacked-in headphone mooches as much as domestic and raving use. The results are surely comparable to the haunting early rave and ambient sound of AFX’s ‘SAW 85-92’ as much as the freaky...

NYZ

SHFTR FRQ

The Death Of Rave

"The Death of Rave plates up the first ever vinyl release from NYZ; the cult, algorithmic/generative music project of award-winning artist/scientist Dave Burraston (Bryen Telko, Noyzelab), featuring one track using synths given him by Richard D. James - a peer and star of Dave’s famous ’SYROBONKERS!’ interview. ’It comes highly recommended to followers of Russell Haswell’s kaotic gnash, the mind-bending tunings of Aphex Twin, the visionary algorithmic scapes of Roland Kayn, and Eliane Radigue’s microtonal meditations.  ’SHFTR FRQ’ showcases the breadth of Burraston’s experimental research into algorithmic/generative composition. The A-side revolves 14 succinct blatz ranging from cranky percussive pieces to queered microtonal dissonance and SAW II-like atmospheres - notably including one track made on a Sequentix Cirklon sequencer and PreenFM2 synth gifted him by Richard D. James - while the B-side contains a steeply immersive spectral drone tract that (never) ends in a locked groove, especially cut at D&M, Berlin. The results are wholly unique and speak to the endless, playfully experimental variation of NYZ’s art/research. They reveal visceral, alien microcosms of curdled microtonal tunings and proprioceptive chicanery bound to thrill and induce strange, new sensations in even the most hard-to-please fiend of electronic music. In Dave’s own words: “SHFTR FRQ is a series of experimental studies into simple synth setups controlled by varying levels of generative complex systems [MANIAC cellular automata]. Recorded over the last 6 years on an ever changing hybrid of equipment encompassing the domains of modular & MIDI based microtonal sound synthesis [analogue & digital]....