Though trumpeter/composer/producer
Ben Neill has been deeply influenced by both the electronic "
Fourth World" music of
Jon Hassell (who also re-emerged in 2009) and
Miles Davis' dark voodoo groove science of the 1970s, the student has taken his findings further than his aesthetic mentors. The difference is in how completely
Neill has steeped himself in electronic music -- period. His "mutantrumptet" is named so because it is actually a hybrid between a trumpet, a sampler, and a drum machine; it contains multiple bells. Since he began releasing records in 1991, he has paid careful attention to emerging technologies, rhythms, and the direction of electronic and dance music worldwide.
Night Science is his first album in seven years. Much has changed in the electronic music scene, and the sonic narrative here reflects that he's right on top of it. This set employs his current fascination with dubstep and grime, two forms that emerged from the U.K. during the middle part of this decade and continue their innovative developments with artists such as
Burial,
Benga,
Skream,
Milanese, and Russian artist Blasta, to name a few. Dubstep comes out of the U.K.'s garage scene in the early aughts. It relies on a 2-step rhythm, using both snare sounds and a heavy reliance on digital basslines that are mutant cousins to analog dub-style reggae. Usually recorded at 140 bpm or thereabouts, it distinguishes itself from drum'n'bass and even 2-step garage with deeply -- sometimes wildly -- syncopated beats and even half-time rhythms. The snare plays a key role in dubstep: it is -- usually -- allowed one beat per bar, usually on the three, with more reliance placed on the bassline to create the forward pace of the rhythm.