After four years of strong grime-centric releases, Aberdeen’s T_A_M (a.k.a. Thomas Emslie) is stepping back into shade for his most focused released thus far, In Tandem. T_A_M’s four release since December 30 – the self-released There All Is Aching EP, Silk/Sweat EP on Local Action, and Watty on Coyote Records – In Tandem is the carefully hushed counterpart to them all. As Grime spreads its reach further and wider across the pond, T_A_M’s official full-length debut daps his past beat-driven, bass-wonked work, walks across the street, and disappears through the greenhouse doors.
“Gruyere Bells” could have come from the hands of Nick Zammuto. Where crow caws are used in beats as antagonists, the dark side of bird culture, the seagull sample used on “The Gulls Are Protected Whether You Like It Or Not” takes us away from car stereos and horns and closer to the subtle rhythm of boats knocking docks of a quiet, windy bay. At times, In Tandem brushes against Wander / Wonder’s lurking atmospheric sound, another album that was built from the cloudy world around it. But T_A_M’s known production background puts it under a different light. In Tandem seems to have struck a balance in his work. A ying and yang or night and day. The “I’ll play your basement and living room” double threat.
In Tandem is available for pre-order at Apothecary Compositions now through a limited pressing of 300 copies worldwide that includes bonus track Fair Waur and a digital copy of T_A_M’s debut Tail Snap EP.
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