Sydney-based electronic producer Valley Forge (real name James Wingrove) has made periodic appearances over the last several years on Clan Analogue compilations such as ‘Doppler Shift’ and ‘In:Version’, and this debut album ‘Artificial Heart’ arrives in the wake of recent singles ‘Follow Suit’ and the Kamahl-fronted ‘Wayfaring Stranger.’ As you’d expect given the contents of those two preceding EPs, ‘Artificial Heart’ proves to be a collection that explores some extremely diverse stylistic terrain, ranging from more familiar Clan-centric bleeps and electro stylings right through to more ambient, dub-influenced tracks and even the odd unexpectedly pop-oriented offering. If the streamlined ‘Machine-Built Rhythm’ calls to mind some meeting point between Kraftwerk and early nineties Severed Heads as robotic synthesised vocals contort and buzz against a shimmering backdrop of blissful electro-house synths and crisp 808-driven tech rhythms, ‘Ne10′ sees things wandering straight down into the sorts of immersive digi-dub textures charted by the likes of labelmates Winduptoys as gauzy layers of delayed-out electronics and vocal fragments stretch out amidst slow crashing beats and the occasional subtle hint of electric guitar.
Elsewhere, ‘Follow Suit’ offers up what’s easily this album’s most pop-oriented offering whilst still maintaining plenty of unpredictable edges as Glen Cassidy’s guest vocals ring out over a fluttering backdrop of broken-sounding downbeat rhythms, ambient synth washs and howling guitar chords that slowly builds up into a rattling breakbeat pulse towards the end. There’s also a venture out into eerie widescreen synthpop on ‘I Want Us To Merge’ that recalls the cold sweep of mid-eighties Depeche Mode as Wingrove’s heavily processed vocals float over ominous layers of glittering electronics and distant swelling bass tones, while it’s arguably Kamahl’s appearance on the cover of traditional folk song ‘Wayfaring Stranger’ that still offers what’s easily the most show-stopping moment here as his unmistakable rich baritone collides with a cinematic backdrop of brooding synths, gospel backing vocals and dark pulsing electronics that slowly build into a seething wall towards the track’s end. An impressive debut album that sees Valley Forge releasing one of the most ‘band-oriented’ collections of tracks I’ve heard from Clan Analogue in a while.
Chris Downton
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