Colin Bailey puts right a lot of the wrongs his countryman Calvin Harris has inflicted upon the reputation of Scottish dance music with this insistent and snarling effort. His work as his enigmatic stage persona Drums of Death is defiant and confrontational, and it's easy to see why Peaches chose to collaborate with him on their 2009 mixtape.
Although many (including myself) initially dismissed his efforts as overly conceptual and not worthy of the hype, I find myself eating my words as the track goes on. 'I Won't Be Long' is simply explosive with drumbeats stolen from an M25 rave building up to a thrilling crescendo at 2:26. It backs up the reputation of his frenetic live performances (and freakish badass street mime/zombie costume) have garnered over the last 12 months.
Every part of the track bursts with life, albeit life with a dark Gothic edge. So, although the song is filled with big organ riffs and throbbing percussion, it retains something malevolent bubbling beneath the surface - much like the heavy make-up Bailey hides behind at live shows. It's an oxymoron - that something so dark and sinister can harbour so many lively sounds within it. It's now that the name 'Drums of Death' makes so much sense - the drums being the ever beating heart of the track, upbeat and positive, with death always just on the horizon of thought. A brave effort.
Released: 10th October 2010
Label: Greco-Roman Ltd
Link: official // myspace // last.fm // twitter // soundcloud // wikipedia
Words: Darcy Mitchell
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