Carrier - Lazy Mechanics

Album

25 Aug

The UK exploratory techno pioneer Shifted expands his colour palette through a new alias, Carrier. A match made in heaven sees one of the most influential and forward-thinking techno producers teaming up with The Trilogy Tapes, a bastion of abstract and obscure electronic music, to release the latest meditations from the artist. The Carrier alias is an attractive new outlet for Guy Brewer as the Lazy Mechanics (2023) pushes the gloomy and dark ambience to the forefront. Stripping back heavyweight kicks in favour of more subdued palettes allows space for Brewer to flex muscles that have, until now, been on the periphery of his expression. This album plunges into the depths of Brewer's abilities to create mood, exchanging the march of the 4x4 kick with atmospheric abstractions.

Carrier uses complex drones of electrical hum that ring out with rich textured sustains such as on the track 'Lost on Me', allowing these to swell with modulation, creating pockets of colourful beauty. Brewer takes things in a darker direction by including noisy percussive elements on 'Chlorine', making a skin-crawling experience with erratic strikes and reverberations of powerful bass. Analogue pulses become a mainstay on the album, from dancing over a mellow hiss, slowly transforming into soft piano notes of the title track of Lazy Mechanics or the more methodical pulse of 'Harsh Features' that rumble away under the sounds of storms. 'Product of Environment' injects some UK swagger. Being part 2-step, part techno adds a funky vibrancy to an otherwise solemn album. This UK-centric styling is continued with 'Ten by Ten', with a deeper delve into post-garage and dubstep. The sounds of flickering fluorescent tube lights are present as haunting chords add emotional complexity. The reminiscence sounds of old-school jungle pads bounce weightlessly on the album's closer, 'Bigger Skies'. Slight oscillations add bouncy tape warble, adding to that nostalgic feeling. Carrier is let loose to create on this first outing, capturing the atmosphere that makes Shifted's music so deep within a freeform structure.

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