#engine detail

It’s hard to believe this is the first standalone release by Daniel Figgis since his landmark album Skipper in 1994 (well overdue for a reissue). Fans however will be aware of numerous compilation tracks and music from his many art projects since then but it’s great to have him back in this way at last. A lot of course has changed since the mid 90s but Figgis never really went away. Tantalisingly, for now there are just two new tracks but it’s something at least and gives us an indication of what he’s been up to.  

Well, for this release (digital only) he’s been working with Gerry Leonard (ex-Hinterland) at his New York studio. Leonard has also worked with David Bowie, Suzanne Vega and continues to make his own music as Spooky Ghost. 'engine detail (second digression)' is a woozy and (to me) very Skipper-like low end wash of sound. While there is still a harmonium present in the mix, the other choice of colours are not as light and optimistic as Skipper but darker and more brooding. Clusters of guitar tones move around the scene as tiny ‘Figgis’ signatures loop in and out to fill in detail. There is a sense of claustrophobia but it’s not overpowering or unpleasant. By the two minute mark some electronics enter the picture and it begins to pull away from that earlier template.  

In comparison 'engine detail (third digression)' has cleaner and sharper sounds from the off and brings us to another very particular (un-Skipper-like) mood and headspace. It’s led by guitar lines (layers of them) and a wonderful drone bass. It’s all very tense, intricate and textural. Little interruptions keep things interesting in the mix and towards the end things are becoming ever so slightly discordant but its resolved in a peaceful manner.

As I’m sure I’ve said before, while it should go for all music, but especially these days, its well worth listening to this on good speakers or as I did on headphones. It’s become so common (even for me) to dismiss something after a very quick listen through inbuilt laptop speakers. Just  one more of the many challenges for musicians to overcome these days. 

In the old days, the artwork too would have looked so good as a record sleeve but even in jpeg form Donald Teskey’s painting works and adds a return to nature element which I feel the organic feel of the music compliments well. For this release Figgis is back working with Dublin’s Front End Synthetics. In the late 90s he found sympathetic ears there and they released some of his new music as compilation tracks.

There is also a bonus and balance to the studio tracks, with a very fine live take of ‘dimmerswitch’ by Crash Ensemble at Galway Arts Festival 2012. The sound quality is of course so much better here than the performance you can view here on YouTube.  Crash Ensemble have the discipline to really handle the shifting dynamics of the track and it’s a neat way to remind us of the more behind the scenes compositional work which Figgis has at times been occupied with since he last released a standalone record.

Basically, the two main tracks here really leave you wanting more, hoping this is just a taster of an album to come. For now there is at least some more new music promised to be on the way.