Friday 11 August 2017

EP: RMCK - RMCK

RMCK EP Belfast


Info: RMCK plays extremely loud, heavily distorted banjo. RMCK uses loops to create hypnotic swirls of sound. RMCK works alone and is solely interested in crafting music that they find interesting. It is not yet known if RMCK will perform live.

It's been no secret that Belfast has been one of the major hotspots for independent music over the last few years across a couple of genres, but it seems like the city is pulling ahead right now when it comes to experimental music. RMCK adds to this sense with his self-titled EP. 

The five-track opens to a cacophony of percussion and Eastern-sounding guitar solos, it's tribal, but non-confrontational, 'Mercer' is hypnotically rhythmic and assertive all at once, the interplay between guitars is pretty sublime in creating an ancient but regal tone.

Bah! Math-rock explosion ensues for 90 seconds on 'Altered 4', right now you're imagining seeing RMCK live and how wonderful it would definitely be. 'Sickness From Cure' chains itself to the sound of the opening track, semi-distorted electric guitar which threatens to arch off into the abyss and a rippling banjo progression adhere to the EP's strict code of putting feeling before gratification, it's quite tantalising to say the least. 

'Dem Devi' is the apex where all of RMCK's styles converge, the parts which were hitherto locked away and kept in check unleashed in a wild and perfectly off-beat manner, magik. As the EP closes on '7 And Inbetween' you reach the conclusion that the traditional sounds on RMCK's EP were not part of the experiment, but the focal point of it. The banjo is integral, somehow acting as the medium and key that led to these five tracks being created. The labour of love and creative force put into the EP is self-evident, the fact that both contributed to making a great piece of music is unsurprising.


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