Driftknot is based in Seattle, Washington. Founded by Chris Burgess in 2019 as a means to pursue personal sonic ramblings, Driftknot showcases a mix of ambient, electronic and alternative musical styles. The artist’s six-song debut Deep North was recorded and mixed in a home studio and mastered by Reuben Cohen at Lurssen Mastering. As Burgess states, “Deep North is a love letter to the Pacific North West's natural beauty, diverse landscapes and moody weather patterns.” Get ready all ambient sonic sounds fans, I think Driftknot has exactly what you’re looking for.
In the opener “Deep North” comes sounds from the outside, two overlapping acoustic guitars, perhaps a rain stick or two with all kinds of percussion in between, and a deep, resonating bass melody. The rhythm starts to pick up a bit late, with the addition of another guitar taking a “solo lead” of sorts, and some rather angelic-like, haunting backing vocals. The overlaying textures just kept getting better as I listened more – I’m hooked already. “Storm I.” has a lot of mystery to it. Starting off slow and moody, like some impending torrential thunderstorm about to wreak havoc at any moment, Driftknot taps into a somber, but dramatic ambient style with synths and other keyboard effects taking center stage. Next is “Aggregate” – a highly stylized, techno/electronic treat, reminding me of the Trent Reznor’s work on Ghosts I-IV. The mix between electronic percussion, beats, heavy key effects and haunting tensions were fantastic. Opposite in style and structure of “Storm I” is “Storm II.” With more percussion, heavy electronic beats, dramatic symphony-like keys and a few guitar cues here and there, this definitely had a different approach than the previous part. The tension within builds up towards the end till the instrumentation just drops out and leaves you hanging. “Hibernate” drives along with a slow, echoing beat and low, brooding keys. With extra keys added, a moody guitar and bass melody and overall slow progression, it makes me wonder what the Cure would have sounded like if they went down the ambient musical road, rather than new wave/goth pop back in the early ‘80s. The last track on the EP is “Sacred” – which starts off with a gentle, echoing piano and what sounds to me like a shamisen (a traditional Japanese guitar, which I think, has only three strings to it). Gentle percussive sounds accompany the piano’s melody, along with added synth textures and what sounds like a mix of either ocean waves and/or rain coming down as the song ends. Driftknot’s (aka Chris Burgess) first venture takes all the great aspects of ambient soundscapes and electronic music and colors them with instrumental imagery of his Pacific Northwest surroundings, taking the listener into a world far from the noise of today.
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