Quinoline Yellow | Dol-Goy Assist
Skam | CD
Skam's enviable record of resolute independence has spawned a steady stream of critically acclaimed artists including Boards of Canada, Gescom and Bola, to name but three. Quinoline Yellow – the artificial food colouring inspired moniker of Luke Williams – is surely set to be Skam's next…
Williams' first full length release, following in the footsteps of a string of celebrated 12"s, 'Dol-Goy Assist' is characterised by beguiling breakbeats which form the foundation on which a series of memorable melodies are layered.
If this were a literary work, one could imagine sizeable footnotes crediting early AFX recordings – the 'Analogue Bubblebath' and 'Ambient Works' in particular – not to mention 'Feed Me Weird Things' era Squarepusher, or even Autechre circa 'Amber'. To his credit, however, Williams is no mere copyist. Like a sponge he soaks up a variety of influences before excreting a scintillating series of pieces with a clearly identifiable and individual signature.
Opening with 'Sealed', Williams' harnesses fat clicks that evolve unpredictably, overlaid with syncopated textures and a sculpted melody of real beauty. The staccato rhythms of 'Plotreturn' are equally mesmerising, marrying machine chatter with a haunting refrain and ghostly, disembodied voices patched in from distant airwaves.
'Brochwel Ysgithrog' contrasts, unleashing visceral rhythms and disrupted, folded breakbeats over which a fluid melody drifts, warm and ethereal, ably proving that Williams palette is far from formulaic.
'Dol-Goy Assist' is a superb debut proving, yet again, that Skam's deft touch at identifying and nurturing emerging talent is undiminished. Williams' follow up will doubtless be eagerly awaited.
[CM]
