W.T.Drones – W.T.Drones (Onesense Music, 2014)
Lugemisaeg 2 minW.T.Drones is an electronica project that is guided by American vocalist Anthony Mills into a warped universe created by Estonian producer Ki En Ra.
In this case our guide is not making this dream world in any way more accessible to us, but adds a touch of vertigo instead. In the very best sense of the idea.
The album was released as a vinyl by Estonian record label Onesense that has previously released gems like the Ki En Ra EP City of Moment (2008) and the joint venture Headshot EP (2011) with Kali Briis. Musically the producer follows a path already familiar, but this time Anthony Mills is also on board which means a whole new level of quality.
Ki En Ra’s music for me is very lively. Although he himself called his instrumentals in the interview for Müürileht as simply “backgrounds”, I cannot agree with that. W.T.Drones does not veer neither towards the vocals nor the music – both components are equally important. The soundscape here is an organism alive and kicking with dimensions unfathomable. Delicate details also help in creating this impression and following them feels like Alice chasing the white rabbit.
The beats by Drones are heavy and disjointed and stagger to their own strange groove during each of the 22 minutes. The rhythm is held together by bass as gravitation – fat and thick like smoke in the lungs. Massive dusty machinery forgotten in the laboratory utters an occasional hoot and tries to communicate through beeps and boops. I don’t think this music sets off an array of surreal visuals in my mind only… To top it all off, the soulful voice sings confusing words with conviction. This is the soundtrack to bedlam. This is proper sci-fi funk.
There is no loitering nor is there acceleration, but when the music’s over my neck and stomach muscles ache. And I look slightly different. A definite recommendation.