For over a year now, Denni Kindred, a.k.a. Longstocking, has been captaining the ship that is Feral One Records. From the beginning, her philosophy has been clear: pour into every release the unbridled love she feels for her hometown of Seattle while creating space for Pacific Northwest artists to produce music that honours their own personal connection to the region (and to the dancefloor). Now she’s back with a release that is the most extensive and diverse in the label’s history: her new album, ‘Creating Space’.
Seattle is Kindred’s space. The musical contributions of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest span all different genres and time periods, and the sixteen tracks on the project represent the diversity in sound and persona found within that space. It’s as much an alternative album as it is a dance album.
Kicking things off is ‘Good Stuff’, offering an unambiguous hint as to what to come from the track and the rest of the LP. This track is just pure joy. There is a playful use of samples that plays like a child throwing different coloured paints at the wall and ending up with a Jackson Pollack. Simultaneously, different string patterns, from arpeggios to chordal pads, provide a sense of acoustic groundedness, like that same child knew exactly what they were doing from the start.
‘A Little Too Much’ is another indicative title, communicating the degree of Kindred’s love of Seattle. The combination of rhythmic dulcimer strings and warm, inviting vocals is like the sonic version of a charter boat coasting on Puget Sound at sunset. The kick drum is just a reminder that everyone is heading to the club after the boat docks.
The hypnotic and heady ‘Tiny’ enters the fray next as spirited vocals contrast against wandering synths, tunnelling basslines and twisting synths for a track that evolves through all hours of the night and captures the attention at every turn. Next is the serene and classy sonics of ‘Get Up’, a production swathed in jazz influences as rich, vibrant brass leads guide tumbling organic percussion and soulful samples for a blissful ride into the sunshine.
Closing the LP sampler is ‘Don’t’ as things re-enter the electronic realm and the pace picks up once more. It’s glitchy, eerie and unpredictable, with echoing FX, swirling synths and off-kilter drums leaving and re-entering the action sporadically to provide an ever-changing combination of restrain and borderline chaos.
The full LP sees Kindred delve even further into non-electronic and club realms with tracks such as ‘Bombom’, ‘Office Window’ and curveball closer ‘Green & Me’ – providing an exhilarating and captivating dive into the mind of a West Coast favourite.
Longstocking ‘Creating Space’ LP drops via Feral One Records on 28th July 2023.
PRE-ORDER ‘CREATING SPACE’ HERE
Tracklist [LP Sampler]
1. Good Stuff
2. A Little Too Much
3. Tiny
4. Get Up
5. Don’t
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