Blawan - BouQ
Blawan's new record, BouQ, is fresh off the presses and comes courtesy of his imprint, Ternesc. The hallmarks are all there: radical sound design, brutal base-heavy sections that still feel precise and innovative genre pushing ideas. Straight away, this already sounds like an astonishing proposal. BouQ switches things up and becomes one of the most forward-thinking releases from Blawan since his first releases on R&S records in the early 2010s. Blawan comes with energy and pace on BouQ, kicking into high gear with razor-sharp lead lines but still retaining some of that underground grit. The northerner experiments with different grooves this time, and we see more pop rhythms intertwined with his brand of futurist bass music.
The one thing that rattled me about this release is that it's super bright and in your face, almost like a hyperactive acid trip that can sometimes feel discombobulating. The track 'NPCs Making Hot Dinner' feels like Blawan is hanging on to its coattails as it meanders between overstimulating sections. A bit of focus is reapplied to the record on the follow-up, 'Fires', with solid grooves delving into more Trappy or UK hip-hop-influenced music. That is before the overdramatic vocals are added to the picture with spontaneous glitches and effects, I assume, to make it more palatable.
The second half of the EP brings the record full circle, embodying more of the progressive direction we know in love. Beginning with 'BouQ', we're treated to half old school grimy dubstep tune, half electro house epic. The experimentation and fun are still there, but it's tempered with a bit more nuance. The neon brightness is still there, but it's much more of a journey than a flash in the pan, out and into another pan. The same applies to 'Done Eclipse', which feels like you have to get down low when it comes on. The track rumbles on with a garagey footwork vibe. It has hints of grime as his haunting flute melodies fly past. The vocals in this track add to the experience, giving it a lot more attitude and human edge. Those same vocals eventually get so degraded they sound inhuman, giving credence to why there are sheep on the cover as these mutated bleeds whale on, which sound both semi-disturbing but really, really cool.
Blawan's journey into new stylistic choices shows a willingness to evolve his art constantly. Regrettably, the landing was shaky on this occasion as BouQ screams of too many ideas and too little time. There are plenty of magic moments, keeping the record very entertaining, but its overall scatter-brained execution leaves it struggling for identity.
Tracklist:
NPCs Making Hot Dinner
Fires
Done Eclipse
BouQ
Label: Ternesc (2024)
Blawan - BouQ
