Makeness – Loud Patterns

Makeness' Loud Patterns is an accomplished debut sitting comfortably on the shelf alongside Caribou and Gold Panda

Album Review by Tallah Brash | 02 Apr 2018
Album title: Loud Patterns
Artist: Makeness
Label: Secretly Canadian
Release date: 6 Apr

Makeness is the moniker of producer Kyle Molleson, originally from the Isle of Harris in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. Having so far only released a clutch of records as Makeness, Loud Patterns marks his first foray into the heady heights of a longer player and it's a masterful debut.

The album’s titular track opens the record with a confident stride, wobbling synths and a pounding beat before opening up into a steady groove a minute in, slowly making way for Molleson’s ethereal vocals to float effortlessly over the music. Fire Behind the Two Louis follows on from this with an infectious rhythm and bleeps that would sound more at home on a spaceship.

Who Am I to Follow Love is really different to the rest of the record, and an early highlight with its laid-back vibe reminiscent of The Bees' lazy swagger, off-beat bells and all. But what really lifts this track is the addition of vocals from Babeheaven’s Nancy Andersen, which when coupled with Molleson for the chorus is simply put, gorgeous.

Elsewhere, Bass Rock rumbles along beautifully like a piece of incidental music from a sci-fi film for almost the entirety of its run time; Day Old Death warily and eerily wobbles along before turning into another of the album’s highlights. The only real disappointment on Loud Patterns comes in the form of noisy industrial closer Motorcycle Idling which feels like having your head stuck in a washing machine set on spin. It's upsettingly unbearable to listen to after 44 minutes of blissed out beats.

Closing track aside, everything else on Loud Patterns is threaded through with intriguing noises and the kind of urgency you can only get from a live band, making for quite a unique sounding dance record which sits comfortably on the shelf alongside the likes of Caribou and Gold Panda.

Listen to: Day Old Death, Who Am I to Follow Love, Stepping Out of Sync

http://makeness.world/