By Stuart Berman
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Morning Show with John Richards, is “Loud Patterns” by Makeness, a single available via Secretly Canadian.
Makeness – Loud Patterns (MP3)
On his debut single for Secretly Canadian, Scottish producer Kyle Molleson -- a.k.a. Makeness -- proves himself a master at the art of misdirection. “Loud Patterns” is a shape-shifting beast that nonetheless never loses sight of its mission as a dark, driving electronic-rock song.
A pounding 4/4 pulse initially thrusts you into peak hour at a strobe-lit Berlin techno club, but then Molleson begins messing with the momentum, like a DJ momentarily pulling the record back and releasing it. A mechanistic drum beat cuts through the dry ice to reveal a soulfully smeared melody that suggests a darkwave James Blake, but the ominous noise squeals in the background soon fortify into gnarly, fuzzed-out guitar riffs that infuse the track with industrialized aggression. As its title suggests, “Loud Patterns” is a striking collision of contrasting elements that deviously distorts our sense of perception.
You can follow Makeness on Facebook and watch the animated video for "Loud Patterns" below.
