The State Of Social Movement by Simon Heartfield
New from old
With more than twenty albums to his name English producer Simon Heartfield's credentials certainly measure up. Starting out playing bass in various Indie bands in the 90s his path has rarely strayed from some form of electronic music since, exploring elements of EBM, Breakbeat, Techno and Electro. And if his music is new to you, then a quick look at the artwork for new album The State Of Social Movement, a stylised graphic depicting an interface of knobs and wires, hints at what you can expect.
Largely experimental in sound and composition, the nine tracks were composed with headphone and floor in mind... an objective he largely pulls off! I'm sure the more adventurous DJ could drop any of them into a set (Folded Seven Eight for example could be a ideal set opener) but the music is definitely best appreciated at home. So while it's an album of two faces, it's the counterbalance between looking back and forward that characterises Heartfield's approach here. For example, it's impossible not to hear Tangerine Dream when the syncopated synths on Last Words On Earth kick in. Likewise, the undulating chords on The Book Spirits capture an echo of the ghost of Aphex Twin. On Folded Seven Eight the tense and repetitive bass builds like an Autonomic classic. And the Dub vibe on Inner Ascent is like pulling on your favourite jumper. But nothing is left overtly obvious; his devotion to invention, whether that's coaxing a weird new sound out of his hardware or taking an unexpected left turn with a change of pace or rhythm, eradicates all hints of pastiche. It's not all reference anyway, on the moody Pale Descent he showcases some fine experimental composition (could be the incidental music on a Netflix drama). Same with atmospheric closer Bell Seven where an arpeggio is offset with dubby piano and a quiet cacophony of sound.
The key takeaway then is, with proven technical skill and some studio pizazz, Heartfield understands and excels at translating his influences into something unique.