Ryan Lee West aka ‘Rival Consoles’ and the esteemed Erased Tapes label go back a long way, the Leicester born musician was their first signing, and now thirteen years later that relationship is still going strong. The partnership have just announced details of the new Rival Consoles album ‘Articulation’ for release on 31st July and are sharing the title track to preview his first solo work since 2018’s faultless ‘Persona’.
As a centre piece to the new album, ‘Articulation’ sees Rival Consoles building on his layered electronica and shimmering beats to bring more vibrant clarity to his soundscapes. Reflecting on the track he admits ‘Its structure is very machine-like, but I was really interested in how melody and sense of story could develop out of this’. Themes and phrases repeat and revisit each other while echoing vibrato synths mesh perfectly with the skittering rhythms. As the form and organisation of the composition unravel into something so organic and uplifting, ‘Articulation’ meticulously grabs your attention.
Advanced info. about the album promises menacing techno flavours, expansive ambience, pulsating synths and anthemic rise and falls. But what Rival Consoles brings to the arena is a real human touch, a melodic sensitivity and rhythms that breath. The signs are that ‘Articulation’ will confirm his place alongside Jon Hopkins and Floating Points as a musician who can cross borders. High concept music that you don’t need to think about, you can just feel it.
Track: Rival Consoles – Articulation, plus album news
