Stream: Rainer Veil “Struck EP”

14 Feb 2013 — Will Stevens

Modern Love is a label synonymous with the North of England and Manchester, having heralded the likes of Andy Stott, Mark Stewert aka Claro Intelecto, Miles Whittaker and Sean Canty as Demdike Stare, as well as its association with the Manchester based store Boomkat. It is evidently clear that the city holds some sort of impalpable influence on the sound of the label – even though the music is not explicit to its locality.

The label's latest release comes from Rainer Veil: formed of Liam Morley and Dan Valentine, who met while studying contemporary music in the North of England. Struck EP is the debut release and begins with a single of the same namesake. "Struck", the track, plays out as a distinctive Modern Love release – mechanized characteristics are played through layers of hushed white noise. The chaotic nature of the beats hint towards a jungle influence but the track's success is the emotional response. This gathers further weight from "Slow Beaming" and "Wade In", with both displaying delicate choral and vocal tones in a wash of poignant ambience, the latter points to the duo's interest in UKG. "Bala" is also an intense disconsolate track – the production has reduced individual noise levels creating this personal and parochial palette.

The production has gone through an intriguing process. All the tracks began life as a framework before being dismantled and reconfigured as a new entity. Struck EP plays as a thoroughly thoughtful record full of intriguing, intimate details and convoluted production techniques. It fits in perfectly with the Modern Love narrative without sounding like any other of the label's releases. Not bad for a debut.

Struck EP is out now. Get it over here.