Written by Fred Carlyle
When it comes to reviewing a single, album, EP, etc , the usual approach is to start off by tackling who exactly we’re dealing with here… whether it be a little bit of background like “who is this artist?” “what are they known for outside of their music” or even simply providing you with a real name or a photo of what they look like. However, In today’s case of Naarm’s industrial ambient electronica jockey, Doctor What, we’re going in blind… because, frankly, the man’s a mystery. While in most cases a lack of prior knowledge may hinder the quality of a review, in the case of today's EP ‘Music is Your Generation’ (MIYG), not knowing what you’re up against is a whole part of the fun as Doctor What’s vague and ambiguous character makes the wildly strange and intense experience of this bizarre and beguiling four track record all the more fun.
So, without further ado, we’re going to dive right into the EP.
“This is for all the people out there who believe they were born by the flesh”: there’s really no better way to encapsulate the experience of M.I.Y.G than the first line we get out of it’s self-titled opening track. By delivering a string of monologue verses in an eerie yet righteous tone, Doctor What’s speech in this track feels like a disillusioned, open-up-your-eyes message like a revolutionary broadcast straight out of a sci fi dystopian flick (V for Vendetta’s ‘V on TV scene for example or any scene from 1984 really). What makes Doctor What’s vocals on this track so compelling and effective however is how it contrasts to - what the artist does best- the absolutely bat-shit insane instrumental soundscape the track provides.
By providing a sporadic cluster of overlapping sounds -whether it be the repetition of short drum beats alongside noises of vehicles flying by or robotic synth notes that sound like they’re coming from a convoluted computer prop from a daggy 80’s sci fi flick-, this massive and eccentric landscape of rushing sounds brilliantly showcases Doctor What’s mad scientist approach to making an engaging soundscape for us to be completely immersed in. This opening track feels like we've teleported into a strange new bustling city we’ve never been before and that’s what makes the vocals on this track so captivating. The fusion of his frenzied swarm of different sounds with his clear-cut vocals makes you hold onto his every word so seamlessly as though we’re staring at the centre spot of a hypnotic spiral.
Without a moment to lose from it’s first track, we’re thrown straight into Category 5, another harsh example of Doctor What’s adrenaline-fueling chaos of sound. The instantaneous blaring of alarms and sirens that greet us on the track makes us feel like we’ve been startled awake to find our house on fire, being excited by utter confusion and a lack of preparation providing us with a song experience of “We have no idea what’s going on right now and we love it”.
A major highlight on this record for me is its flow and ceaseless momentum. The transition of tracks tend to give you a false sense of relief like the temporary slowing period of a rollercoaster ride, thus managing to always hold your attention as the lack of knowledge of what’s going to happen next keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. Near the end of Category 5 it seems as though things are beginning to calm down as all the instrumentals begin to dissolve and fade out. However, just as we attempt to take time to collect ourselves… we’re thrown right into the trippy, rhythmic based experience of track number three, Two Face… just when you were about to catch a breath.
Track three is the rhythmic highlight of this four piece record; a relentless drum beat is instantly set up, providing solid ground throughout the entire track’s runtime while the rest of the instrumentals continue to monstrously form and become more unpredictable, providing a balance like holding on to a stuck-out branch in a river as the rapids try to take you away.
Whether it be the underlying drums on Two Face, the attention holding vocals on the opener or the repeated sirens on Category 5, something I really admire about this EP is it’s mastery of providing organised chaos, a controlled frenzy like a scary rollercoaster ride you went on as a kid. Each track sends us into this overstimulated landscape that has you blown away, euphoric but mostly trying to hold on for dear life. But that’s the magic with roller coaster rides, they’re in control; while the tracks presented on this EP come across as mayhemic and pure chaos, a closer inspection will reveal that all these tracks are cleverly structured despite its seemingly structureless approach and that’s what makes it so special. Just like how at the end of the day, you’re not going anywhere on the rollercoaster that isn’t in its prebuilt path.
To wrap up this short yet mesmerising ride of an electronica EP, we’re given Nautical Frisbee (Frisubmariniscus); a finishing track that takes Doctor What’s severity of sound back a notch like as though we’re steadily descending to the ground for the finale as we’re met with the stability of a driving repeated synth line and lucid rhythms and melodies. Keep in mind however, labelling this song as calm could only make sense in comparison to the previous tracks as, after all, we’re dealing with Doctor What here. With a flurry of his staple scattering of sounds and (excuse me if i’m wrong here) what I swear to be the roblox ‘ooft’ sound put on loop and thrown into the works, we wrap up this EP and review with a fantastic track (and personal favourite of mine) that I can best describe as being a twisted production of an 8-bit video game score… like an LSD-soaked rendition of a mario boss fight soundtrack.
Listen to MIYG here
Find Doctor What on Instagram here
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