If the four elements of hip-hop are painting, breaking, DJing and rapping, then a similar quadrant of participation can be observed in the techno scene Рproducing, VJing, promoting and club d̩cor being a corresponding four facets that have been a mainstay throughout the history of the music. Colin Welsh, aka Sunosis, has been rocking all four of those techno elements in his lifetime, starting when he was just 14 years old and he messed about, making acidy bleeps on his brother ZX Spectrum. Since then, his journey has taken him through becoming a new media artist at university, a long time stint as a techno club d̩cor and visuals specialist, to promoting techno parties in the midlands of the UK. These days he owns a west London venue specifically designed for underground electronic musicians and DJs, combining the musical elements with exhibitions, performances and installations from sculptors, digital artists and photographers. And with all of that, he found the time to release his first music to the world, and expose his production side.
Warmed is a short album, comprising of six full tracks and a contemplative two minute piece “Plato’. And it has an appropriate name – the pleasure of the mid-morning sun shines throughout the album, comforting low basslines undulate whilst curious clicks dance around lightly crunched snares and summertime keyboard melodies. Indeed, Sunosis displays quite a gorgeous, human side throughout – one that is relaxed, thoughtful and kind, with Warmed at no point ever reaching “brutal’ status. Nor is this robotic and artificial, the producer instead presenting restrained glitch and click with lashings of emotion and calm. Indeed, this record would probably be too sweet for most palates if not for the deep, consistent and meandering basslines. These are so important to the sound that they need to be heard – so the little soundblaster speakers sitting there next to your desktop that you have been thinking about upgrading for the last seven or so years certainly won’ do this release any justice whatsoever. In just over 30 minutes, the seven tracks show what Sunosis, and Warmed, is trying to achieve – lovely, definitely pretty electronica, not too ambient, nor too hype.
Alistair Erkine
