Klaus - Tusk EP

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Press release

3...according to our Clinton on Fri 05 Aug, 2011.

Not, sadly an electronic re-work of Fleetwood Mac's classic album, instead a beat driven "intelligent" dance music that has Phil tearing over here to spit the word 'Murcof' at me. It's one of those where you are not really sure if its at 33rpm or 45rpm but I've settled at 45 and have been rewarded by the B side which is haunting beat driven atmospherics. This lad has been apparently bigged up by James Blake, but don't let that put you off. Lots of squelch, lots of intricate rhythms and subtle dubstep inflections but for something by a so-called classically trained musician it's sorely lacking in melody or anything approaching half memorable. Still this is more about the atmosphere than a tune the milkman can whistle, turned up to 11 coming out of some big speakers, I have the sneaking suspicion this could sound rather excellent.

When I loaded this EP into my computer to pen some words on this cerebral cortex of an EP, it popped up next to an old recording I have of Klaus Schulze and in many ways it hints at a modern update on his sound. Klaus is not as his name denotes actually from Germany, but a classically trained young musician from London. In his short tenure as a producer, he’s already picked up plaudits from the great James Blake and Mount Kimbie. The latter loved him so much they called upon him to remix their recent Carbonated release. With debut EP Tusk we have an initial statement, which sounds too accomplished to be an entrance into the recorded world. Erudite and cultivated, the EP sets a tone for an early evening on a heavy system or an earlier morning on the headphones against an inner-city backdrop. It twists and turns throughout its four tracks. Layered drum patterns give way to distorted atmospherics permeated with that heavy, heavy bass. It's almost Eno-esque in its structure, so I'm not going to break each track down here. Stick the whole thing on and experience it's beauty.