Vers – Low light, slow film & alcohol

When I first visited the website of the label Dysgenic Records, I was pleasantly surprised. I did not know Dysgenic yet and apparently it is a very small, independent label, but their site looks nicely stylished and professional. Take for instance the listening facilities, a very nice ‘cd-player’ can be used on the website. But I’m not reviewing their website here, but one of their releases, with the promising title “Low light, slow film & alcohol”. The creator is an act called Vers, with labelboss Brian Redmond behind the machines. Immediately striking when you put on the cd are the breakbeats. I must confess I’m not the biggest fan of jungle and related music, but I can appreciate a small dose of drum & bass influences now and then, when used in combination with more atmospheric elements.

Well, this album certainly fulfils this condition. The instrumental music of Vers incorporates quite some dark ambient elements, in order to create unconventional soundscapes which work well combined with the hectic D&B beats. You hear low basses and distorted noises, but also softer string sounds and dreamy textures. The first track, ‘fearing the front’, is one of my favourites, harsh, almost industrial breakbeats are alternated with moody elements like piano sounds. You can certainly expect some surprises when listening to this cd, like the jazzy saxophone on ‘Fundamentals’. Some of the elements used to adorn the music by Brian Redmond are ‘vending machines, tractor trailers, and Kobe Tai moans’. All this is captured with a very clear production. Although this album really makes you move at times, I would not call this typical dance music, the structures are not straightforward enough for that. And for ‘relaxed listening’ the music certainly is not tranquil enough. But “Low light, slow film & alcohol” is a nice mixture of energetic rhythms and cinematic atmosphere. An interesting and original release, which is certainly recommended.

artist: Vers
label: Dysgenic Records
details: 11 tracks. DYS0006