For more than ten years, artist-run Sydney record label Feral Media has been releasing excellent genre-pushing, experimental music. 10 – the latest release from the label – acts as a celebration of this milestone with contributions from some of the most pivotal acts to be involved with Feral Media.
At 24 tracks, it’s a gargantuan offering. At almost two hours, it’s probably a bit too generous and disparate. Nevertheless it doesn’t feel overwhelming nor is it hard work, but rather a welcoming collection that you’re able to come back to at different points as the mood strikes.
Although 0.1’s unassuming ‘Softism’ begins with gentle acoustic strums, glitchy electronic textures, layered vocals and some deep, rubbery bass, the goofy and disjointed ‘LIKE U’ – the first of two songs from Faux Pas – with its soulful vocal samples, winding guitars and an utterly danceable techno-inspired second half, makes it known that this is going to be a diverse listen.
The slowly unravelling ambience of ‘You Hold My Hand Through the Gate’ by Gentleforce is one of many highlights, with bird calls that bleed into sustained warm, droney synth chords and a pulsating kick-drum that sounds lush and infinite at 12 minutes. Elsewhere, Thomas William’s ‘Catchments’ thrills with its looping samples not dissimilar to Replica-era Oneohtrix Point Never, and School of Two’s ‘Seagulls’ poppy electro shoegaze reminds of early Cut Copy; and this is all just in the first half.
On Comatone’s huge-sounding remix of Alpen’s ‘Last Frontier of Ink and Paper’, heavy drum machines combine with overdriven guitars that could soundtrack a final boss fight. Later on, the David Evans remix of Because of Ghosts’ ‘Fall Short of Certainty’ begins with gentle xylophones, with delayed & chorused guitars and beautifully restrained live drumming. An ii and Broken Chip pairing that comes near the final stages ensures you’ll want to stick around until the end.
Although an excellent introduction point, at $5 for a digital copy from the Feral Media Bandcamp, it’s an essential purchase no matter your familiarity with one of the most interesting Australian labels in recent times.
Wyatt Lawton-Masi
