Noir electronica with samples and beats by Adviser On Shade Trees on debut album of same name (NO LABEL)…possibly a solo player from Easton in Connecticut, but our man likes to keep a low profile and is hard to trace through the normal methods. Even his Bandcamp page is refreshingly free of hype, and he prefers a terse paragraph full of cryptic hints that allude to “banks of pesticidal fog” and “air disasters”, among other unwelcome events…
I first thought of a 21st century update on detective and crime pulp novels, but it might be more accurate to consider a more apocalyptic frame of mind…I realise the cover image is probably treated by digital malarkey, but it looks like a schoolhouse set on fire by UFOs. Then there’s the distorted voice samples, sketching in further background to these unsettling tales with more than a hint of horror. So far this is highly enjoyable and well-executed music which provides a frisson of excitement like so much sesame oil in your morning bagels…Mr Adviser aligns himself with European maestros such as Porter Ricks, Scanner, Oval and Main, but it’s interesting, as ever, to hear what an American mentality creates when electing to enter this genre. For starters, Adviser On Shade Trees is much less minimal than any of the above, and likes to reward the listener with a dense and layered sound.
If the afore-mentioned electronica geniuses are inclined to be restrained and elegant, Adviser has certainly learned the lessons about simplicity, but his music could sometimes benefit from a slightly lighter touch when he leans on the loops and dub techniques. Even so, a strong debut release. His motto: “everything to do with time is hideous”. (14/02/2025)
Note: at time of writing there was a Bandcamp presence, which has now disappeared. I’m including an image of their calling card to make sure I didn’t imagine the whole thing.
