The latest EP from aldred is a spiritual experience wrapped in a blanket of warped, experimental electronica that would send lovers of Radiohead’s Kid A absolutely reeling.
The London based aldred is an electronic music artist whose sound, on his latest EP ‘The Centre Of The Downward Spiral’, is intellectually and artistically engaging. The sound and structure of the songs border on the avant-garde, with whimsical song segments and rhythmic and melodic ideas that intertwine, making the songs feel like pools of musical ideas that constantly evolve and change while accompanying aldred’s philosophical delivery and his matter-of-fact lyrical approach. The final results are often striking, but with soft, rounded edges, courtesy of aldred’s choices of generally gentle and pillowy synth sounds that make this album sound smooth and forgiving, while being simultaneously dense and challenging.
The progressive thinking lyrical and musical themes follow tightly in the footsteps of Kid A, with its decidedly cold and abrasive musical soundscapes. ‘Red Light Energy’ is the first song on the record, and with its hollow coldness, it beautifully puts the sound of the album on full display. The songs feature layer upon layer of vocal or instrumental parts, and with puffy, driving beats that keep things tightly grounded, the listening experience goes like watching scenes of a movie unfold, as conventional song structures like verses and choruses are mostly absent, the varying, evolving song sections push the experience forward efficiently.
‘The Centre Of The Downward Spiral’ is a forward-thinking spiritual album that brings to light mental welfare for the space age. aldred’s songwriting is a twisting affair of lyrical clairvoyance, vocal charisma, and harmonic and melodic mazes, making this EP a challenging one for the untrained ear, but for those who appreciate sounds that are constantly in motion, lyrics that are conceptual and provocative, and instrumentals that defy all expectations, then ‘The Centre Of The Downward Spiral’ will define a fruitful and rewarding listening experience.