Knaves by Tendryl
“Rowing through Styx, flowers, and flies too,
I hear an echo, a wet hum.
A wincing moment, slow drip of time.
Words lost aren't worth mincing.
My body's unglued.”
'Knaves', the debut EP from NYC-based Tendryl, emerges at a post-truth moment in which deceit is routinely deployed as a tool for exploitation and survival. With an interest in critical theory and ecology, Tendryl’s work is informed by the fragile power of contemporary social systems and methods of constructing spheres of resistance within them. 'Knaves' merges cutting rhythms and deep fried sampling with elements drawn from a wide gamut of electronic production to incant a playful, spiraling visage.
'Wot' opens the EP, whipping into a frenzy of dread and exhilaration with crusty impacts and impish Roland D50 patches. 'Hall Of Mirrors' manoeuvres deeper into Tendryl’s harlequin aesthetic with woozy vocal growls refracting across acrobatic leads and skittering drums. 'Dissolve,' a frenetic collaboration with fellow producer Ubu Boi, brings 'Knaves' to a ritualistic fever pitch with relentless 5/4 kicks and frosty sound design. Warped Celtic vocal samples heighten the track’s otherworldly nature. EP closer 'Unglued', written in the fallout from the 2016 USA election, is 'Knaves' most poetic and sincere moment, attempting to establish a grounded and protected space within a liquefied sonic landscape.
Artwork by Laila Blebleble and Oliver van der Lugt
Tracklist
| 1. | Wot | 2:31 |
| 2. | Hall Of Mirrors | 3:21 |
| 3. | Dissolve ft. Ubu Boi | 3:48 |
| 4. | Unglued | 3:42 |
