Tragedy Of Truth by Milton Bradley
Dark debut album from the German producer
Under various guises, the music of German producer Milton Bradley has consistently dealt in dystopian visions, derealizations both compelling and disturbing in equal measure, doubtless a result of growing up in a tense, late-80s Berlin.
Back in 2008, with the launch of his own label Do Not Resist The Beat! he outlined his agenda: make music that captures his personal emotions and specific moments in his life. Track titles from his early singles (e.g. Feel Forgotten, The Unbearable Lightness, The Dark of the Psychic Unknown) perfectly reflect the bleak, nightmarish vibes he was producing. This sinister theme was successfully developed further under the monikers The End Of All Existence and Alien Rain (the latter providing an outlet for his more acid-fuelled excursions) and has cemented his reputation as a forward-thinking producer.
More than a dozen singles later he returns as Milton Bradley and presents his debut album, Tragedy of Truth; ten tracks that tour his tangled mind, evoking deserted cityscapes, claustrophobic spaces and the darkest scenes imaginable. With rich textural sonority combined with elements of Dubstep and Acid, bolstered further with suitably grim titles (like Catching The Scent Of Melancholy and Poisoned By Sweet Things), Bradley delivers a near-perfect Techno album. Like Sleepstep and Code there's a narrative arc that demands repeat listens, each one bringing added value in the discovery of new sound facets, hidden layers and even signs of optimism (check closing track The End Is Not Always Just An End Sometimes It Is Also A New Beginning). A contender for Techno album of the year!
9/10 after 30 listens
Tragedy of Truth is out on Monday 25th April 2016 on Do Not Resist The Beat!