Darkside – Nothing

Description

Nothing is the third album from Darkside: nine transmissions of negative space, telepathic seance, and spectral improvisation. On their first two reinventions, Nicols Jaar and Dave Harrington entered the studio with a clutch of scattered ideas to mold into what became the revered Psychic (2013) andSpiral (2021). But Nothing reflects a search for form borne out of spontaneous elliptical jams, acoustic riffing, and digital levitations. And in a fundamental shift from their first dozen years as a band, the duo recruited their longtime friend and collaborator, the drummer and instrument designer Tlacael Esparza, to become a full-time member. The outcome is magnetic and hieroglyphic. This album slips through the cracks of convention with serpentine guitars, extraterrestrial static, and cavernous drums. No band but Darkside could have made Nothing, and in no moment but now. (via Label)

Nicols Jaars old jam band with Dave Harrington (and now Tlacael Esparza) just gets funkier with every release, finds Aydin Khalili.

For many years now, guitar music and electronic production have followed divergent, even antagonistic paths. Daft Punk seems like a distant historical phenomenon, and Underworld and Seefeel didnt really bother with guitars in their latest albums. But for a freeform, genre-bending band, distilling any element from music history into their magic potion wouldnt be that hard. And for over a decade, Darkside has been doing this ingeniously. Nicols Jaars ambient, airy electronica has paired effortlessly with Dave Harringtons vintage guitar licks. The duo (now a trio with Tlacael Esparza on drums) seems uninterested in the trend of completely ditching guitars (and even drums) in electronic music.

Though beginning as a jam band, with Harrington initially serving as Jaars session guitarist for his solo project, they soon succeeded in morphing their shared ambitions into a band of swirling guitars and ethereal electronics. For Nothing, theyre joined by their drummer from Live at Spiral House to fully explore their countercurrent journey. To my ears, they sound funkier with each new album, transitioning from Psychic to Nothing through Spiral.

On Nothing, from the onset, we can hear the effect of adding drums to Darksides vaporous atmosphere, giving it a more solid, structured feel as drum rolls are heard in Slau. S.N.C. and Are You Tired? (Keep on Singing) are both examples of the distinct guitar riffs mentioned earlier, woven into the album. The former, the funkier one, is partly a rework of Duke Jupiters Rock n Roll Band, which is itself an ironic take on rock artists pipe dreams. The latter is a strange meditation on stolen land, featuring many bluesy licks and elements vaguely reminiscent of Andean percussion. Both have music videos featuring the crystal ball/snowglobe from the cover. The S.N.C. video distorts through the vision of this ball, while the other one unfolds like an endless fractal of marbles.

Although Darkside is not a dance act, Hell Suite (Part 1) is as rhythmically engaging as any 18th-century suite. With its updated interpretation of Lennons Imagine, Jaar once again showcases his witty lyric-writing skills, demonstrating his understanding that where theres no heaven, it doesnt take much to imagine all the people living in hell.

Nothing is another manifestation of Jaar and Harringtons efforts to preserve a harmonious fusion of rock and electronics, without compromising either side. And Sin El Sol No Hay Nada, as the album closer, takes this endeavor even further with its noise-heavy, ear-shattering sound. (via The Quietus)

Label: Matador
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Released: 2025
Genre: Electronic
Style: Downtempo, Ambient, Experimental, Dub

File under: Electronic // Leftfield