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After a year of experimenting in their South East London studio, Snorkel have remerged focused and energized holding in its hands a brilliant new record. ‘Stop Machine’ recalls the improvised off kilter performances of their acclaimed first album 'Glass Darkly' and delivers a compact, robust and energetic route through post-funk, dub, electronica, krautrock and sonic art. Improvisation continues to be at the core of their strategy, from the agitated post-industrial experiments of ‘Driller’ and ‘Edgar’s Hoover’ to the aquatic drift of ‘Jellyfish’. A more compositional approach is evident in the swaggering and elastic grooves of ‘Stop Machine’ and ‘Loophole’, the slippery mood of ‘Wet Tongue’, and the dreamlike tension and release of ‘Dead Skin’, which incorporates the shadowy rhymed musings of eccentric soulster Charles Stuart.
Players on the record include drummer/producer Frank Byng [Crackle, Spring Tides, Barry Adamson], Ben Cowen [7-Hurtz, Crackle], Charles Stuart [Grace Jones, The Fish Police], Tom Marriott [Pest] and artist/producer 129, with additional contributions from guitarist Lucas Suarez, Robert Logan and Ralph Cumbers [AKA Bass Clef]
"Possibly the best intellectually deconstructed funk record you'll hear this year." [Rock A Rolla]
"...a vital flow of angular energy and unpretentious swagger" [The Wire]
"There are dark, playful combinations right through Stop Machine" [Mojo]
"Stop Machine is a very convincing hybrid, bringing disparate influences together to form a lopsided fourth-world funk of the highest order." [Cyclic Defrost]
"...rest assured if you're prepared to open your mind and let Snorkel in then this could well be a 10 out of 10 album" [The 405]
"Stop Machine is a trippy, thumping masterwork sure to arrest attentive ears" [Music OMH]
"Experimental but funky fusions of Krautrock, Dub and Jazz from Slowfoot's dextrously versatile in-house band... ... Highly impressive stuff." [Boomkat]
"If mesmerising, beat laden, experimental, electronics are your thing, you’ll want to hear this" [Fred Perry Subculture]
"Highlights of the album are the unsettling, minimal drumbeats of ‘Edgars Hoover’ and the funky, hip hop influenced beat of ‘Dark Star’, but there’s never a dull moment on this album. ‘Stop Machine’ is well worth a few listens." [Live Music Scene]
"..‘Stop Machine’ sees the group delving deeper into more experimental territory as they continue to take on a highly creative approach with their music... ... an album that buzzes with activity, from its unique instrumentation to the brilliant way in which the percussion is explored throughout." [Shout4Music]
"Snorkel have created with this second record a rather enjoyable collection" [Milk Factory]
"This is not my usual bag, but in my head this is kinda what i want Tortoise to sound like. A Lee Perry / Can / Barry Adamson society-esque shunt of sweaty chimeric propulsion" [Cowsarejustfood]
still my favorite album of the decade. the grooves are built on spiraling repetition, yet no two moments are exactly alike. utterly mind-bending, yet dictated by thematic purpose. and it's still kept as a trim, ever-cool package, though at times the journey is so immersive it feels everlasting. Dada in a suit; a contained bubble of aesthetic perfection that moves everywhere without stopping or faltering for a second. fucking rock on \m/ Spencer Vik
A collaborative effort between the Connecticut drone duo and the Philadelphia-based songwriter, steeped in the ritualistic avant-garde. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 26, 2022
At first listen, the juxtaposition of Sonar's rhythmic constructions and Torn's soaring, furious/tender voice would by themselves be enough of a pull. But digging beyond the surface will reward the listener greatly. There is great depth, emotional nuance, intrigue and change, rewarding repeated listening. Ref: Miles/80's Crim/Tibbetts, but this is truly new music. grate ape