Deon Custom (Deon van Ooijen) has a new album out. What is it? Well… as already stated, it’s a “smorgasbord of dutch meta-wonky TRAPocalyptic skwee-rock!” Duh.
Really, some might say that a better way to describe it would be to say that it’s eclectic (but I wouldn’t, as ‘eclectic’ is the most lazy and inarticulate word anyone could ever use.) but to dumb it down, let’s say it’s ‘GOOD EDM.’ I guess I’m just excited about it and decided to over-defined it. But it definitely sounds skweeeeelicious to me! (“meta-wonky,” on the other hand, doesn’t mean a damn thing.)
It’s an album filled with thick textures and pads, trappy & steppy beats, and synthesized melodies that sound like they were sampled from some oddball alternative-European-Sega Genesis that Hudson Mohawke has been manipulating for the last year and a half, secretly.
The album is called, ‘Ametrine,’ and it’s definitely worth a go. A standout track is, ‘Howling,’ which sounds like some retro ice-level (from a Euro-Sega) complete with shiny, ringing bells and a vageuly desolate frostbit-feel; melding into a complex, funky and synth-happy rhythm with a delightfully thick snare to keep things snapping… Like other tunes on the album, this one reminds me of other wonky or downtempo artists, such as Nosaj Thing. Though I’ll point out right away, Deon Custom sounds pretty unique, even compared to such aforementioned wonkyists as Nosaj Thing or Hudson Mo. There’s an experimental feel, and yet the whole thing stays pretty driving, maintaining a perfect balance between dance-and-art – making it clear that you CAN have your cake and eat it, too. Because, first of all, what the fuck else can you do with cake, really? And second of all, I wish some artists (that’ll remain nameless) should REALLy get the memo that you can make big thumpin’ trax that are ALSO beautiful and interesting and unique and playful.
The synth work on this album is so fucking fun and expressive – and in such a unique way. To me, and my musical biases, I can’t help but hear a ton of squeely and floaty skweee sounds popping all over the place. The difference, however, is that THIS skweeelectable piece of music doesn’t have that, uh (how do I put this?..) OK, you know how skweee can be fun, but… REALLY ANNOYING, in a certain way? Occasionally hurting your ears? Yea. But this stuff? Neh, it keeps the good and deletes the annoying!
I’m going to keep an eye or two on Deon, and I’d recommend you do the same :) PROPS, Deon!
Deon Custom’s ‘Ametrine,’ is available on Basserk Records. It just came out, and you should definitely check it! Word up, Dordrecht, Netherlands!
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