Black Deer – Pray For Us
Swift hands clapping, percussion rattling softly in the background, a warm bassline and some spiritually enriching synth patterns. That’s all these ears can discern from the nine minutes of “Pray for Us”, the wonderful opening track from William T Burnett’s latest adventure as Black Deer. Sometimes the simplest of tracks evoke the greatest emotional response in you. Words, however, are not so simple to come by when trying to do this production justice. Opening sentences for this review have been continually scrapped as “Pray for Us” plays out again and again, and how best to convey my utmost affection for its sublimeness? Perhaps it’s best to experience it for yourself.
A recommendation for Pray for Us could be proffered on the basis of the title track alone, but investigate the rest and you’ll see how diverse a producer Burnett can be when the mood suits him. Admittedly, a first listen to the other three tracks doesn’t fill you with the same sort of immediate warmth that “Pray for Us” does, but spend some time with them. Swill them around your senses a few times and you might discover they possess a certain feeling that will make you draw for them when you’re in the mood to put together a mix of stranger sounds.
On “Leaving the Station” there’s a noticeable tension between the straight, regimented kicks and the loose waves of shoe-gaze style textures that billow around with growing delay, coaxing out similar levels of spiritual enlightenment. Remember Fuck Buttons being produced by Lord Weatherall? That’s what comes to mind listening to “Leaving the Station”.
After the emotional impact of those two tracks, B-side opener “Frost to Mist” could be seen as a palate cleanser from the Black Deer. A more languid pace is adopted with clipped, tinny drums meandering in some sort of forward direction as a guitar is blissfully strummed and woozy synths reminiscent of Gigi Masin add a glacial soft edge.
A relaxed feeling runs through the record’s closer, “Second Time Around” which again sees Burnett using few elements in a truly effective manner. Beyond the constantly billowing clouds of dubby incandescent ambience there is little more to the track, with only the merest hint of a beat rearing its head every now and then. If I listened to dub techno at all, this is probably how I would want it to sound.
Tony Poland
Tracklisting:
A1. Pray For Us
A2. Leaving The Station
B1. Forst To Mist
B2. Second Time Around