- Just in time for autumn, Hemlock brings us a beguiling wisp of a tune that drifts like fallen leaves and flickers like a jack-o-lantern's grin: "Ultraviolet," a collaborative effort from Nautiluss (Thunderheist's Graham Douglas Bertie) and Lord Skywave (Simon Lord of Simian and Black Ghosts). Despite the Hemlock imprimateur, I'm not sure you could really call this bass music; it's pop, plain and simple, with a passing resemblance to thSee muted melodicism of Mount Kimbie or James Blake. The groove is a minimal affair, nothing more than shakers, a time-keeping hi-hat and dull kicks on the 2 and 4; its most pronounced feature is an apple-crisp handclap that crunches with a decidedly Hemlock feel. The brunt of the song is carried by tremulous, organ-like synthesizers and rich vocal harmonies, with Theremin details adding a sci-fi patina to their disembodied Beach Boys vibes. Nautiluss goes solo on the B-side with "Blue Monday," which hews to a more traditional bass-music cadence, stumbling and spindly, with wraithlike chords and portamento lead filling out the chilly atmosphere.
Tracklist A Ultraviolet
B Blue Monday