Ok. No bells, whistles, sirens, trumpets, hollas, tootles, hoo-has, friggin’ ding-dongs, or excessive fanfare. No cute animal pic, hot geetar lick, or Trump meme shtick. No justifying a 17-paragraph “east coast tour dates” news story because of childhood llama-drama-trauma. No sauced, incoherent attempt to tie in an album tracklist with my current grocery list. No no…NO! NO DRAMA. None of that is needed, because simply put: there’s a new Actress album out April 14 on Ninja Tune! (Exclamation point indeed!)
Despite the veiled curtain call press release that accompanied his 2014 tour de force, Ghettoville, Actress (a.k.a. Darren Cunningham) has just announced his decidedly non-dramatic return with a new set of witty, intelligent, and self-aware tracks. Typical of the London-based avant-electronic producer, AZD is galvanized by disparate themes, including: the concept of chrome — in its reflective and (non?) color pigment meanings — dystopianism; technology; the neglect/embrace and destruction/reconstruction of Earth, space, and its alternative (non?) realities; the art(s) of James Hampton and Rammellzee; Blade Runner; and musical ideas gleaned from unique experimental collabs like his with the London Contemporary Orchestra. All of this and so much more is whipped into a spiritual whole that can only be described as “Actress-esque.”
Speaking of “Actress-esque,” a bunch of Actress-esque live events are also planned for 2017 — the first being the debut performance of AZD, which takes place March 24 at the London’s Village Underground. And… since he’s all-about explaining his ideas, the idea is probably best explained by Actress he-self: “(the live show) will be a test frame for linking circuits using various forms of language — Midi globalized language, Lyrical language, Tikal Graffiti code and various other Synthesizer language — to create one intelligent musical instrument called AZD, if successful it will produce the first translucent, non-soluble communication sound pill synergized through impressionistic interpretations of technological equipment. This is the music vitamin of the Metropolis.” Um…’nuff said?
I hope so, because I don’t have anything more to say, except that the first single “X22RME” and its Dan Emmerson-directed video are being shared today and can be heard and seen below. Oh… and that the album can be also pre-ordered here. Okay: ‘Nuff said.
AZD house:
01. Nimbus
02. Untitled 7
03. Fantasynth
04. Blue Window
05. CYN
06. X22RME
07. Runner
08. Falling Rizlas
09. Dancing in the Smoke
10. Faure in Chrome
11. There’s an Angel in the Shower
12. Visa