London-based producer Rockwell announces the release of his highly anticipated album ‘Low Art’ slated for Friday 21st July via his burgeoning imprint, Obsolete Medium. To celebrate the news, he shares his latest single ‘Gramma’ – an explosive club cut with a sample that lays bare his thoughts on the softer side of drum and bass in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
Including recent singles ‘Recognise’, ‘Estranged’ feat. La Meduza, and the explosive socio-political battle cry ‘Peak’ feat. Novelist, this forthcoming 9-track body of work is the first LP since the release of his critically acclaimed 2015 debut album ‘Obsolete Medium.’ 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.