Haifa-born, London-raised producer Subculture aka Edan Feldman-Vazan returns with the follow up to 2019’s debut album I Dream Of Everything. Inspired by the turmoil of lockdown ACiiiD DRIPPED FLYING BUTT€R GUNS EP sought to turn his production talents to create a portrait of escapism from the real world. Coming in the form of the ACiiiD DRIPPED FLYING BUTT€R GUNS EP that plays like a mellowed out psychedelic burst of subtle despair amongst beauty.
Opening with the spacey and psychedelic tinged “Tornados”, woozy beats and lo-fi guitars aplenty, Subculture creates the type of soundscapes that are best appreciated late at night on the train home. As Hak Baker’s vocals crash in, the song transitions to invoke that sense of blissful melancholy that can be found with the likes of Gorillaz Plastic Beach. It feels like a wash of nostalgia thrown over you, the voices of the past circling around your head.
The pace is quickly increased on the title track however as the acid tab kicks in. Through seething horns and highly filtered guitars Subculture displays his dexterity in sound manipulation. There may not be as much depth of emotion as the rest of the EP, but it acts as a place-marker for the way Subculture crafts moods into sounds. To speak as the kids do, it’s certainly a vibe.
And to complete the full cycle of this trip, third track “Saving Grace” feels like the comedown after the wild ride. Lo-fi distorted textures and pianos create the kind of a melancholia that can be found starting out the window on a sunny summers eve after an afternoon spent with friends. It’s that perfect blend of sadness after joy that Subculture captures. As Edwin Arzu’s laidback verses of longing for someone roll along you can’t help but feel nostalgic for a love that you never had.
This EP stands as a dexterous journey through the mind of Subculture and the soundscapes that he inhabits. Crafting distorted worlds of his own inspired by the distorted world around him.
ON TRACK 
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