Listen: Slime – Next Time

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Breathy woodwind ushers in the start of the recently premiered ‘Next Time’, and sets the tone for the surprisingly acoustic electronic track from Will Archer, AKA Slime, taken from his Increases EP. The 19 year-old South London via Newcastle producer makes the most of the unusual and haunting quality of the clarinet, with ‘Next Time’ beginning with a slowly expanding woodwind ensemble sound. This then quiets before returning with more layers building up around the almost wheezing, reedy growl. Hazy repeated lyrics and a haunting string motif punctuate the sweeping, melancholic progression, until finally a bright drum kicks in, forcing the sound to open-up, flower-like.

Structurally it’s as unique as its instrumentation, and there is a great sense with both, that Archer is purposefully defying convention, taking his time to achieve the right sound. There is a feeling of the manual and acoustic in the production – it doesn’t stop it being essentially an electronic track – but also imbues it with a sense of hand-made care and attention. Like a home made cake – it’s quite rugged, dense and clearly made with love. In what the press for Increases describe as ‘pastoral electronic sounds’, with ‘Next Time’, Slime creates a track that is electronic, but with acoustic sensibilities – strongly conveying a sense of life, and natural space.

Increases is out now on Tough Love.

Slime – Next Time by Slime Music