The London-based producer Rockwell returns with his latest single ‘Comfy’ and unveils the tracklist for this forthcoming LP ‘Low Art.’ Slated for release Friday 21st July via his burgeoning imprint, Obsolete Medium, including recent singles ‘Recognise,’ ‘Estranged feat. La Meduza,’ ‘Peak feat. Novelist’ and the latest club cut ‘GRAMMA,’ this forthcoming 9-track body of work is the first LP since the release of his critically acclaimed 2015 debut album ‘Obsolete Medium.’
Speaking on the new single, Rockwell says: “This one came together quite quickly and provides a little light against some of the moodiness of the other tracks. I made the majority of the musical and atmospheric elements from the vocal, using a combination of granular synthesis and heavy reverb. I love hearing vocals placed in big spaces, as it reminds me of the classical choral music my parents played in the house as a child.”
A passionate and engaged artist often leaves subtle clues in his music to share his opinion and frustrations at the status quo, and this forthcoming album is no different – with the title is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the disparity of “perceived” value, support, and funding for different types of art/culture in this country.
Written over the past couple of years following his (accidentally) aptly titled February 2020’s EP ‘Isolation Ritual,’ the pandemic allowed him to step away from drum & bass, disconnecting himself from the genre for a year to delve back into his love of guitar music and the new wave of American hardcore punk — bands like Gulch, Cult Leader, and Jesus Piece, and troubadours such as Emma Ruth Rundle and Chelsea Wolfe. Inspired by the rawness and anything-goes attitude, he began to form album number two, ‘Low Art.’
On the forthcoming album, Rockwell remains dedicated to pushing both himself and drum & bass into the future. Fans can expect a technical focus that has shifted from complex beat arrangements to mind-boggling basslines built for dancefloors, also revealing Rockwell’s first forays into hardware, experimenting with an array of guitar pedals to add distortion and reverb. ‘Low Art’ marks a turning point for Rockwell’s production, bringing an organic sound and rugged appeal in keeping with his hardcore punk heritage.
‘LOW ART’ Tracklist
1. Estranged feat. LaMeduza
2. Peak feat. Novelist
3. Comfy
4. Belief Systems [Reprise]
5. Recognise
6. Veins
7. Pink Panther ft. Settle Down
8. Gramma