Simon Klee - When The Tide Went Out

For those that like modern electronica in all its diverse forms, no doubt you would have listened to the 'Anticipating Nowhere' broadcast and/or seen the accompanying blog. The man behind both is Simon Klee and he is one of the unsung heroes of electronic music and a fervent advocate of 'the scene' (and is a huge supporter of my tape label Misophonia Records!). Well, it would seem that he can add musician to his CV as he has just released his first vinyl EP and it would only seem right to turn the tables as such and spread the good word about HIS music.

'When The Tide Went Out' is a record of Klee's "early experiments with soft synths and creating noise" but it sounds far more accomplished than that rather self-depreciating description - it can easily stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of them. It kicks off with 'Earthen Pulse' with said pulse resonating through the brain to the point of disorientation (and that is a good thing!). It grows in intensity until it reaches it acme and you can almost feel your ears bleeding before it suddenly stops and sanity is restored and we segue into 'Metro-None'. This is a 'blink and you'll miss it' cameo...kind of like an aural amuse bouche cleansing the palate. 'It Got Wet, And Then It Broke' is a glorious melange of beeps and pulses that come together to form something that, on first hearing, is restful and nonthreatening but it has a dark underbelly beneath the bubbling and squelches. 'Stalactite' is another short track but is huge...heavy industrial percussion and EBM-like synths collide to create a minute and a quarter of uneasy drama and is frankly bloody marvelous. 'The Oceans Wept Tears Of Pain and Sorrow' is, as the title would suggest, a more melancholic affair. Full of mournful ambiance, plaintive piano chords and snatches of spectral wails, its delicate filigree is deeply moving and highly immersive. In direct contrast the EP is brought to a conclusion with 'Lava Bred' and its cavernous drones ... it sounds like something Lustmord would record except far more intense. It is like being caught under the burners when an Apollo mission launches. It's as heavy as fuck.

This is punk..not musically but in attitude; that 'Do It Yourself' mentality that launched many an illustrious career. It is an EP full of experimentation and imagination that veers a steady course between disparate approaches..and it has paid off. I have said many times on these pages how much I admire musicians (because I have no musical ability myself) and so in my eyes anyone who gets off their backside and actually puts some time and effort into creating music that they love...well, it is to be applauded. 'When The Tide Went Out' is a wonderful record and I sincerely hope that Klee builds on this and makes a whole heap more.

'When The Tide Went Out' is available on 12" lathe cut vinyl (via Subexotic Records) and is a beautiful package. It is also available as dl. Head over to Simon's Bandcamp page here.