Chris Clark - Ceramics Is The Bomb

This is one of the only places you can find Chris Clark filler, and it's actually limited to one track (A. Council). Everything else on here is good, with the exception of Shonny which is not good, but phenomenal. Shonny is one of my favorite IDM tracks of all time, right alongside Plaid's Itsu, both in form and quality. It makes this release all worth it.

Full of hiss and strange spine-tingling noises? Why, it’s must be Chris Clark and his Ceramics is the Bomb EP. (Who’d you think I was going to say? Aphex Twin? Autechre?) “The Gavel” starts in with some booming beats, but “Slow Spines” and “Frost Investigation” seem to skitter by without notice. “Shonny” ends with some of the melodic IDM that we know and love, and that melodic sense carries into “Rob Lee.” A good, though not particularly memorable, EP.

Indeed a fine release from a guy who had the weight of the 'IDM' world on his shoulders after his extraordinary Clarence Park debut on Warp. Being hailed as the new Aphex is a double edged sword, and I think Chris certainly sharpened the correct edge if 'Ceramics...' is anything to go by. Incredibly beautiful and textured melodies work in perfect harmony with digital chaos and tomfoolery as Clark delivers an EP that sweeps across the board of IDM without losing focus and wandering into noodley and needlessly noisey territories. I suppose Aphex is the easiest comparison, but Clark has enough edge and creativity to deserve solo recognition without the 'new Aphex' tag. For me it is 'The Gavel' that stands out on this EP. Haunting soundscapes merge and phase until a ferocious beat hammers relentlessly (The Gavel in question?) whilst sub bass groans battle with manic digital stoccato-like glitches. Gorgeously disturbing.

Great release, and perfectly suited for Warp. Some great acid stylings here, really nice beaty material, but still with some lovely, almost Aphex-y melodies. Can't wait to hear the new album, whenever it's coming out.

This is an amazing release, It is a beautiful mixture of the Aphex Twin, Boards Of Canada and Squarepusher. Realy complex yet has the melodic's you would expect from Warp. It deserves all the praise it gets.