Reviews
Kuedo
As half of Vex’d, Jamie Teasdale was responsible for some of the most progressive and dark early dubstep sounds. His latest solo project is a huge creative departure. Gone is the mechanised industrial sound, instead ‘Severant’ sees him dreaming vivid futuristic landscapes with only the slightest hint of dubstep under the moniker Kuedo.
‘Severant’ is a riposte to what Teasdale sees as the restricting genrefication of dubstep. However, it’s hugely overly simplistic to see this album as a work of protest. Whilst it consciously resists the parameters that come with producing under the umbrella of ‘dubstep’, Teasdale is not afraid to draw from elsewhere on the electronic music spectrum.
Kuedo leans heavily on contemporary hip-hop inspired percussion, often coupling it with lush soaring synth work that recalls Vangelis’ sci-fi soundscapes. The music of Vangelis and in particular the powerful score that underpins cult classic Blade Runner is referenced throughout. This obvious touchstone brilliantly compliments Teasdale’s exploration of the future and creates a disarming effect. ‘Truth Flood’ sees tinny staccato drum machines drive the song mercilessly forward, whilst the swirling ’80s synths impress upon the listener a sense of enormous scale – the two combine to form a menacing, visual, cinematic quality.
This odd pairing endures for much of the album and contributes to a constant tension between the ethereal effects and the worldly, stuttering drum beds. This is music with a sense of drama. ‘Scissors’ marries machine gun hi hats and hyperactive bass line to a melodic, floating organ which creates the dislocating effect of stillness amongst chaos.
Whilst Teasdale draws upon ’80s electronica and contemporary hip-hop, he is never in awe of his select musical influences. He bends them, fantastically, to his will. Expert variations in speed and texture mean ‘Severant’ avoids being one dimensional. ‘Ant City’ is a prime example, a few well chosen samples rendered expertly contribute to an ominous beat, whilst the skittering drums add an eerie sense of paranoia. In deliberately restricting his resources Teasdale has created music that sounds freer than many of his contemporaries, a feat achieved because of – rather than in spite of – his self-imposed limitations.
‘Severant’ is not perfect, and at 15 tracks long the album can drift out of focus at times. Regardless what Kuedo has produced is a triumph: with a limited toolbox and a vivid imagination Teasdale has succeeded in making something not just new, but also unique. ‘Severant’ is a reimagining of the old to create a vision of the future that transcends the electronic music scene’s cliques.
Words: Joseph Clarke-Knowles
‘Severant’ is out now on Planet Mu.
