Now, in 2012, my preference for deep music has awakened and so did my interest for this album. Ever since that magical "Three Colours" track from Dusky got released, I've been returning to this on a daily basis. Mid summer, it reached it's peak when I completely fell in love with it. The news of remix EP's was already out though and I planned on writing this review down as soon as they landed to make a nice bundle in one week. Time got in the way unfortunately. To think I discarded this at first is ridiculous in hindsight, but this album is the solid proof of my musical evolution, which makes it that more special.
But now, I finally put myself into doing this analysis of the first Anjuna album I ever got my hands on: "Stick By This"
From Dawn Till Dusk
Alfie Granger-Howell and Nick Harriman. These two names have turned my world up side down drastically in the last couple of years. No other artist have had so much influence in my recent evolution as a music listener as these two. Under their Solarity alias, they've guided me towards my now favorite compilation series/label on the planet, Anjunadeep, that I found myself involved with on a daily basis. This year, their Dusky side of their music invited me into a whole new world of house that has completely devoured me and solved my musical midlife crisis.
Light Cycles
Although these two names have done similar good to me as a person, the two differentiate quite greatly globally speaking. Where Solarity has remained quite niche and appreciated by quite a small amount of anjuna fanatics, Dusky has exploded this year to international allure. This album got the same heartwarming, but low profile receivement as their Solarity tracks. But after their first post-album EP, Dusky sky-rocketed into fame, appearing on daily basis on Resident Advisor, and in radio shows and compilations all around the world. The highlight must have been the appearance on Pete Tong's annual mix CD, with their Flo Jam single.
Where their sound is consistent and characteristic now, their pre-success album could be considered highly experimental as it's sound is highly diverse. But enough talk, let's dig into what could be one of the albums of the lifetime!
What do you get?
Anjuna is known and loved for it's loving care of album exteriors. The slick slipcase and artwork are of sublime level. Only now I have discovered the subtle print on the CD itself. Something that feels right even before you've put it in the CD player.
The Album
-Silence Never Heard-
An album opener is crucial in order to not only set the right tone, introduce the listener or to make for a catchy opener, but it's also the keystone of a bundle. In the pursuit of making an harmonic work of art, the first few tones will resonate throughout the rest of the album and the further listening experience of the observer. With "Silence Never Heard", Dusky accomplishes all of the above. As I've listened to the album several times now, I can conclude that it's indeed the perfect root for the Stick By This-branches ahead and it makes for an iconic album opener that welcomes you with open arms every time. The smooth play of breaks, deep synths little vocal chops make it an incredibly easy track to put on, often followed by the rest of the entire album. It's gentle overall likability, unbiased pleasure if you will, makes it fit into any given situation.
In other words: "Silence Never Heard" represents the Dusky sound on this album, and places the listener into a state of mind in order to rightly perceive the album. That's all you can ask for for an album opener if you ask me.
Where their sound is consistent and characteristic now, their pre-success album could be considered highly experimental as it's sound is highly diverse. But enough talk, let's dig into what could be one of the albums of the lifetime!
What do you get?
Anjuna is known and loved for it's loving care of album exteriors. The slick slipcase and artwork are of sublime level. Only now I have discovered the subtle print on the CD itself. Something that feels right even before you've put it in the CD player.
The Album
-Silence Never Heard-
An album opener is crucial in order to not only set the right tone, introduce the listener or to make for a catchy opener, but it's also the keystone of a bundle. In the pursuit of making an harmonic work of art, the first few tones will resonate throughout the rest of the album and the further listening experience of the observer. With "Silence Never Heard", Dusky accomplishes all of the above. As I've listened to the album several times now, I can conclude that it's indeed the perfect root for the Stick By This-branches ahead and it makes for an iconic album opener that welcomes you with open arms every time. The smooth play of breaks, deep synths little vocal chops make it an incredibly easy track to put on, often followed by the rest of the entire album. It's gentle overall likability, unbiased pleasure if you will, makes it fit into any given situation.
In other words: "Silence Never Heard" represents the Dusky sound on this album, and places the listener into a state of mind in order to rightly perceive the album. That's all you can ask for for an album opener if you ask me.
-Lost In You (feat. Janai)-
The transition between "Silence Never Heard" and this vocal track are very important in my opinion. It suggest some kind of mutual connection of the tracks and that's precisely what this album is: a bundle of 14 that is connected with each other. A book, a story, a setting, the descriptions are endless. Fact of the matter is that this album is woven into it's own essence, which makes the whole bunch a welcome home to which it's ever so tempting to return to.
I didn't fancy this vocal track all that much initially, but that's mainly because I have always preferred instrumentals over vocals globally speaking. But I've come to cherish it as a gentle familiar track, that I listen to with a smile nowadays. Janai her voice, accompanied by incredible piano play, feels sophisticated and modernized, which is exactly the reason it grew so much on me. It's a brilliant follow up on the intro album track and kicks the album in higher gear, making room for the more beats filled two tracks ahead. The beautiful flow of this album has come together by several tracks like this, and they another crucial role to the amazing collective of this album.
-Stick By This-
I could write entire pages to dedicate the grandness of this album title track. This is the track that planted the deep-house seed in my brain, this is the track that made me shiver in melancholic delight a countless times, this is the track that brought forth so much good in my life...This track is of divine quality, literary.
It would be inappropriate to say just say that this track reaches lonely heights on this album, without saying the rest of the 14 track CD is of exceptional quality as well. But no matter how much I love this collective of brilliant tracks, this track alone is enough to make this purchase a neccesity.
As said before, I didn't see the true value of this album until the summer of 2013, and therefor a lot of tracks are currently missing in my 2011 top 100. But as that list is a representative of my taste that particular year, it's only fair to keep it as it is. Nonetheless seeing this track at number two is rather painful to me, as I see now that "Stick By This" leaves the current number one, Ax his "Heart Is King" biting for dust. I already saw the unique greatness of this single in 2011, but it took me a year to truly see it's full potential. And for that I'm sorry, as this is an anthem for life that I will never forget.
Can one track alone make a whole album incredible? This one can.
-Plastique-
Again, it hurts me to see only the previous track make it to the top 100. "Plastique" was the second and last track that I inmediately seemed to like. However, due to (poor) choice-making, I let this one slide. Listening back now, this would easily be my number two in my top 100. It's incerdibly easy to the ear, and just begs to be put on. The breakbeat is the most infectious thing on the album, and combined with the shiveringy good timed vocal parts, it makes for an very delightful track to vibe to. Because that's what this is, a vibe track. It's neither depressing nor euphoric, but it hangs subtly in between, making it suitable to support any state of mind. Although "Plastique" misses that legendary touch of "Stick By This", it's more than justified to be classified as a stellar piece of production.
"Plastique" can best be described as an irather mysterious yet easy 4 minute piece of art, that you will never grow tired of. A trustworthy friend on the road, for it's intriguing soft sounds and distant vocal parts will make you feel close to home anytime of the day. In fact, whether it's sadness, loneliness, depression, relief, immense joy, prosperity...this track accompanies all, and more importantly, you on your road to life hood A true anthem indeed.
-I'm Running (feat. Soloman)-
The picture painted in this track is nothing short of fan-tastic. I can only guess it was Dusky's attempt to make the listener create a virtual world of desolation, putting emotion and electronic music together succesfully once again. It's a combintation of many ingredients that make this beauty such a thrill. Although Dusky themselves obviously did most of the job, it can't be ignored that Soloman did amazing vocal work on the the haunting sounds of the track, making the message of the track come forth even clearer than the desolate instruments already do: We all fear of the possibility of loneliness, and this particular fear resides in us all till the day we die.
I might be a little to lose in my understanding of the track, but in the end quality music is an form of art and allows a flow of interpretation. Although mine might be, as previously stated, a bit lose and even too sinister for such an chilled out album as this, but nonetheless an indication for myself that this album is more than the surface might suggest. The surface I landed on last year, where I didn't bother digging.
"I'm Running" is a desert of desolation painted beautifully by the four hands of the Dusky boys and Soloman as their paint. It's an strong combination of powers that make this fifth track as glorious as it is.
-Falling-
It might be strange to say but "Falling" is the first drop of quality for me personally. Maybe it's because I think the track is shallow, or maybe because I simply don't get it's hidden message like the previous track had buried within itself, but I just don't get this one. I can only suggest that this light and weightless track is used to make the ride a little bit less hard and initiate a break from the other outstanding but heavy tracks of Stick By This. This would make perfect sense to me, and therefor I understand the neccesity of this track at page six of this story.
When I said it's a drop of quality, it doesn't mean this track is not good. In fact, I'm quite enjoying my listen when it arrives. It makes for an easy and light track in this heavy book, and is a welcome factor that's part of the dynamic greatness of this album
-Grain-
My hunch I had that Dusky implemented a break from the heavy album-story telling is being answered by "Grain", another euphoric and easily digestible track. This is no doubt the most simple track of the album, yet I find it more appealing than "Falling". In fact, I like this track A LOT. Where the message of "Falling" is still unclear to me, apart from it's bare function within the album, this track doesn't make itself an unnesecary difficult case. "Grain", as it's title simply suggest, is nothing more and certainly nothing less than an euphoric summer track that puts smiles on the faces of those who let it work it's magic. Simple yet awesome.
-Lost Highway-
This track is puzzling me until this very day. From start till Around 4:15 (the climax) I enjoy it intensely, but for some reason, I have never managed to sit through the main part of the track without turning the speakers off. It somehow feels annoying to me but I honestly don't know why since the other Dusky tracks have an identical vibe, which I love. Frustrating really, especially when I read that it was James his favorite in the Anjunadeep 04 booklet. It's simply a track I don't get. It hurts me to say that this is one of the weaker tracks of the album, but in a review one must be honest.
Number eight will always be one that I don't understand. Whether I saw the light this year in deep house or not.
-Mr Miyagi-
This is the most non-Dusky-like track on the entire album apart from the distinctive haunting vocals. But's it's an incredible nice track that slowly shakes the 3 track break of the album lose from it's skin. The message from this one is rather unclear from me. It feels like an robotic, futuristicly themed track. The breakbeat, also found in "Plastique" underlines Dusky's versatility and broad creative work space. It's becoming more and more clear to me that this assembly of album tracks are indeed...album tracks. I must admit that I've heard quite a few post-album tracks from the boys, so my "hunch" is not complete clever thinking. But nonetheless this album is a 100% non club experience, and it are albums like that that are the hardest to make.
-Thoughts Motions-
This is a classic "Stick By This" track. It's incredibly distinctive due to the brilliant piano play and ever lovely violin work. You can hear that every single track of this album underwent an stunningly amount of work and effort, combining both instrumental as electronic aspects of music. This is a giant fourteen track clash of innovative music writing and producing.
This track breathes what has now (december 2012) become "vintage Dusky". Haunting vocals, strong distinctive bassline, beautiful instrumental play and most of all an amazing complexity.
-It's Not Enough (feat. Janai)-
The second full vocal track is still something I need to get used to. Janai's vocals are not completely my cup of tea, but feel nice to hear supported by the o so lovely bassline of the instrumental. I can only describe this track simply as "cool". It has that soulful touch that is often found in old jazz and blues, but with an deep house twist. This is another classic "Stick By This" track, and the return to the tone set by the first few tracks is completed. You can feel the album's tension with every track nearing the end. This album breathes and exist. It has a soul, emotions, desires. It has become a living thing in my mind.
-Resin-
It's hard to pinpoint tracks that can easily stand on their own in this album, because "Stick By This" is such a organic thing of which tracks are en-rooted in each other, making each other's presence of vital importance of it's existence. But one of them must be "Resin". This is the first of fourteen that feels like it's a full track that could have been released completely on it's own, ready to be mixed into a deck. Resin still has that infectious Dusky album sound, but at the same time gives a more clubby feel to it. It's not directly a full on "dancefloor destroyer", don't get me wrong. It's rather a delightful tempo twist within Stick By This with a subtle nod at the dance culture that exist outside this album.
"Resin", in other words the desecration of tree/plant sap, accompanies "Grain" in it's outdoor setting. Although it are only two tracks of the bunch, I still feel that this album is best enjoyed outside the safety of your living room. As said earlier, this album itself feels like an organic assembly. So it's most natural to be experienced in the surrounding of earth's finest.
-Need You Back-
"Need You Back" is "Resin's" big club brother, as it follows the pattern of a more energetic 4x4 club track. Again, it is completely capable to stand on it's own yet finds itself to be strongly connected to Stick By This. The most interesting thing about this track must be the big bass drops that go throughout it's path. I never before heard such a base for a track, but it works incredibly well together with the "jungle" style going on in this track. It feels the most distant from the album's origin, and is best viewed upon as an delicious bonus instead of part of the album. It's possible to skip this and not destroy the album vibe, but it's best to let it spin as it is amazingly groovy and clever. A true threat to listen to. This is Dusky's big giveaway, that I only understand until now, that Dusky are capable of making club killers and are intend to do so.
-If Only-
The very first piano note sends honest silence throughout my body and mind, as it is the undoubtful note of ending. It might be weird after reading my words on "Stick By This", but this is most beautiful and enchanting thing of the album. Again, filled with emotion, with cleverness, with pure labour and neurotic perfection...It's what this album is all about. "If Only" left me breathless, disorientated, physically empty and even slightly depressed but fulfilled with joy that I have just discovered an artistic duo of a lifetime. In other words an PERFECT ending to the amazing and life changing ride experience. It's a rare thing, this album of Nick Harriman and Alfie Granger Howell, but my god this is something special. Something you are blessed with to experience. This ending track is so brilliant in it's purpose...It sums up the magic that is Dusky, the magic that is Stick By This.
The Final Verdict
Life-changing-experience. I know it's still early to state since it's been a year since I've started to let this album affect me, but the stunning influence it already had on enriching my life can't be undone. This album is an award from myself to myself in my road of electronic music listener. A testament of time that indicated I'm growing in taste and the awareness of the hidden gems around me. Looking back now, I can hardly understand why and how I discarded 12 tracks of this...being. It might be the over enthusiasm I have for Stick By This right now, but this album truly has become part of my life. I don't even look at it as an album anymore. Stick By This is a living and breathing thing that requires understanding and effort to decipher. I still don't think I'm done just yet. In fact, I believe it's going to take a lifetime to fully become one with this majestic being.
This album, this holy grail, is something you can proudly point at to have fully breathed in "at the time" and I'm deeply ashamed it took me so long. But I won't look back anymore at the moments I refused myself at the time, but I will only look forward to what further amazing moments this album and it's creators will give me. Stick By This is part of my life now, and I'm part of it.
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