Velodrome (feat. Hello Skinny) by Kit Grill - GETME! [GME009]

Velodrome (feat. Hello Skinny)

Kit Grill

A 2 track ambient single (8m 32s) — released September 22nd 2014 on GETME!

#electronic #ambient

In demand drummer for Melt Yourself Down and the Owiny Sigoma Band, Tom Skinner, steps out of the spotlight from his recent worldwide successes and a recent EU tour with Atoms For Peace to rework Kit Grill's track "Velodrome" with an all live set up. Contrasting from the original's very digital tone, Skinny has brought in the help of his previous collaborator, Shabaka Hutchings. Aware that Kit wasn't too keen on having remixes done Hello Skinny, thought it would be more interesting to do a cover version. The idea was to replay some of the core melodic and rhythmic material but rearranged loosely for a more acoustic set up. Hello Skinny started off as a duo between Tom Skinner and clarinetist Shabaka Hutchings so it made sense to go back to this original format for the basis of this cover version.

The whole piece is built around a one-take performance of the main theme from Shabaka on clarinet. A feat of human physical endurance, he manages to maintain the repetition of the part whilst changing the timbre and texture through circular breathing and other extended techniques. We then overdubbed the counter melody and a bass clarinet part. Having the overall shape of the piece, Hello Skinny was able to play a live drum take along to it.

With a bit of extra percussion, liberal use of delay and some distortion the track was taken to close friend and collaborator Chris Morphitis to mix. The whole piece was bounced to 8-track tape and mixed to 2-track tape utilizing his beautiful Studer desk and gorgeous plate reverb. Job done.

It was dead simple, but it had energy and personality and yet great restraint and some kind of elegance that really resonated. - Jacques Greene Kit Grill album review

Electronic music fueled by a crystal-clear vision, a techno-inspired, propulsive music that takes sharp breath of minimalist ideas from the the likes of Aphex Twin and Terry Riley, honing it into a singular language that is warm, serene and highly evocative. A utopian idea of sound runs through the 6 tracks on this 12 - Rough Trade Previous Kit Grill EP review

An emotive slice of electronica from newbie Kit Grill, who clearly shows an appreciation for the sounds and sonics of experimental overlords Steve Reich and Philip Glass. - DJ Mag Kit Grill album review

‘Mirror Image’ is a dazzling, yet simple suite of pieces utilising principally a basic synthesiser and programmed kit sounds, which sounds not unlike Rounds-era Four Tet but with less filigree decorations. - Bleep Kit Grill album review

...a warm, breathable, downright cozy mixture of African rhythms, low-key electronics, and Krautrock shimmer... ... There's been nothing else quite like it this year. - Spin Hello Skinny album review

The album is atmospheric but never austere; Its themes are strong and memorable, but never heavy handed or trite. Hello Skinny nods to a plethora of influences and yet remains resolutely itself - The Wire Hello Skinny album review

..this long-awaited solo debut is an impressive exercise in the integration of an expectedly wide range of aesthetics, revealing first and foremost a thoughtful composer with a skilled producer's ear. An unforced alliance of player and beatmaker, with measured, apt, concise statements. - BBC Hello Skinny album review

...existing in that fertile zone where jazz, dub, techno and avant-pop deliquesce into an exhilarating free-for-all... ...Introspective, eclectic brain-groove of the month. - Mojo Hello Skinny album review

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