Donnacha Costello - Shifting Sands

  • Share
  • Donnacha Costello is one the many producers fiddling around with the idea of music distribution these days. In this case, he's made his release available for free...if you're willing to download 128 kbps mp3s. Those looking for higher-resolution files? That's where Costello gets you, sending you straight to your neighborhood download store to pick up the goods in all of their acoustic glory. It's an interesting bet, especially in an age when fewer people seem to truly care about sound fidelity. When the material is this good, though, Costello can make such wagers. "Distract Yourself" is a chunky little number that requires a high quality sound system to bring out the wonder of its multi-layered percussion and Mathew Jonson-lite synth squaw that sits by itself in the background. It's tougher than almost anything Costello has released in 2009, but it's also among the most satisfying. "Time in Between," meanwhile, demands a better airing for atmospheric reasons. Costello's IDM past is brought to the fore here with moody pads and a shaking beat that never cohere into dance floor material. Costello's aims here are for the living room, with the track's forward movement constantly frustrated by a wispy and beautiful synth. It's a fine track, perfect for a B-side, and showcases the type of variety that will no doubt be on offer when he steps up to the plate for a new full-length on Poker Flat next year.
  • Tracklist
      A Distract Yourself B Time in Between
RA