A few weeks ago we were met with the tantalising news that Silent Dust were re-emerging with the fourth instalment of None60, and what an exciting return it has turned out to be. We’re still reeling from their sublime self-titled debut LP: an educated marriage of delicate, probing nuance, Noir ambience and lingering wisps of warmth amidst its cold exclusion with a strong core thematic thread interwoven throughout – crafted excellence at its finest. So it’s fair to say we’ve been looking forward to the follow-up release ever since, and NSY004 flips the script again with a delightfully playful, elegantly fine-tuned sub-170 exploration.

Population, Me is a refreshing departure from Silent Dust’s already versatile catalogue of work. With its pulsating synth rays and Selfsays’ conscious lyrics flowing perfectly through the track’s considered arrangement, we’re rendered momentarily helpless trying to place the tempo as the bars continue to sail through; at the precise moment the first Dilla-esque snare hits (yeah, it’s that good) and swagger levels reach a dizzying high, you realise just how adaptable Silent Dust really are. The title also serves as a metaphor for the duo’s nomadic, beguiling examination of the electronic depths – ‘when there’s a war going on inside of me’.

Martyrs picks the release back up to 170 (albeit briefly) with another cut that focuses on tones of a more reflective nature. Sombre guitar strings with a Nu Este Roz prominence, combined with the liberal percussion aesthetic Silent Dust have mastered so well. Succesfully straying from the overt and gushing emotional, the track drops back into the 115 tempo that categorises the release’s A-side with an ethereal arpeggio workout in the same vein as Vanilla’s Curveball – a playful interlude from the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack that never was.

We’ll be speaking with the duo ahead of None60’s next release in October – Love Sundered / Tell Me. Keep ‘em peeled.

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