Enjoy a trip courtesy of The Acid, without actually having to eat the cardboard. Woozy, disconcerting soundscapes are created through a concoction of Justin Vernon-like vocals, experimental electronica and inimitable instrumentation.
Initially shrouded in mystery, the genre-less band released their debut self-titled EP with a distinct lack of information regarding their identities, wanting their music to speak for itself. Now the truth’s out – The Acid are three artists from three continents, forming this unique musical collaboration.
One drop Brighton, one drop California, one drop Australia – The Acid were creating their sound anonymously, now we’re glad to put some faces to the name.
Comprised of Brighton-based DJ and producer Adam Freeland, Californian producer and composer Steve Nalepa and Australian artist and producer Ry X, The Acid use their individual talents to build their musical production into a crescendo of exhilaration and originality, regardless of whether we know their names or not.
Alone, Ry X (born Ry Cuming in Angourie, New South Wales) makes lush, indie folk arrangements that can be compared to that of Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, but together, the trio produce a magnetic expression of darkness and freedom. The Acid’s four-track, self-titled EP released mid last year is a hypnotic, genre-defying collection of minimalistic, understated electronic beats which showcase Ry X’s compelling vocals assisted by Freeland and Nalepa’s impressive production capabilities.
Opening track Animal is subtly reminiscent of Matt Corby’s highly rotated Brother, where The Acid’s warped, out of this world aesthetic replaces the soaring, melismatic wails of the indie folk heavyweight. Heavy basslines pervade the track spasmodically, like a spaceship zooming off then docking back at its station. After listening to the mesmerising and wholly consuming lead single Basic Instinct, you might need to actually come up for air. Eerie oohs and ahhs are offset by buzzing instrumentation, stripped back percussion and gentle acoustic guitar which progresses into a heavy distortion mid way.
Fame offers a fuller, lighter sound as bouncing synths dance around Ry X’s falsetto croon and a steadily building rhythmic club-like beat. From the foreboding opening of Tumbling Lights, it’s clear that these uniquely textured soundscapes have never before been ventured. Ostensibly disparate sounds – tinkling xylophone amidst an electronic staticy buzz, recordings of street noise, birds cooing – are discrete auditory experiences merged into a cohesive whole. The distortion, beat pulses and drawn-out drones crescendo until about two and a half minutes in, when the bass-laden synth line kicks in and Ry X’s vocals embark on their cosmic, acidic voyage.
Latest offering Creeper is the first single from The Acid’s forthcoming debut album Liminal. Ominous and predatory, the Gesaffelstein-style track navigates its way through pulsating synths, sporadic vocals and frenetic bursts of dark percussion. The forcefully confronting combination kind of scares me, but it’s the same weirdly satisfying fear you feel after watching a really good horror movie. If you’ve got the cash to head over to Europe for a show, you can catch The Acid in June across UK, Belgium, France, Germany and Holland.
The Acid’s upcoming debut album Liminal is out June 2nd through Infectious/Liberator. Preorder the album on iTunes for a free download of Creeper.
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