Clark - Growls Garden

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 26 / 6 / 2009

Label: Warp Records
Format: CD

Occasionally brilliant latest EP from techno producer Clark

Review

Somewhat of a master after several excellent dance albums, Clark has a new EP to fill the gap between his upcoming summer release and his slamming last 'Turning Dragon' album. The first tracks take some time to sink in. Clark's considerably less exuberant and like so many techno producers has a go at writing melodic tunes and succeeds rather well on the title track. 'The Magnet Mine' is experimental funk with a jolly bounce. His twisting the knobs, pun intended, on 'Seawood' becomes a wee bit too restless to enjoy on the floor, but, as a try-out, is rather funny, or teasing. The usual hard hitting techno that I was so eager to hear kicking off the A-Side, only comes on track four 'Gonk Roughage'. The big bad banger throws in unsettling keys as the complex beats unravel. Distorted church organ music comes next. At the start of 'Distant Father Torch' Clark's trickery though becomes a little too predictable. 'Farewell Mining Town' has a very Northern, pastoral touch to it and is edited in a way that a few tracks off the is EP should have. Still a few moments of brilliance are to be found on 'Growls Garden'.