Altered Zones

Keith Rankin a.k.a. Giant Claw sent over his new album Midnight Murder the other day, saying his music sounded like Cluster, Neu!, and Emeralds. I wasn't necessarily expecting it to sound like any of those three bands, but in a way, it does: there's some weird, skittering drum machine/synthesizer parts (Cluster), relentless, slow-morphing repetitions (Neu!) and arpeggiated synth landscapes (Emeralds). When this trifection hits on all cylinders, the result is a dramatic geometrical guide through ordered layers of sound-- usually uneasy, and sometimes spooky, like the album's second track, "I Know I'm A Ghost." Also of note: the album was mastered by Robert Beatty of Hair Police, Burning Star Core, and Three Legged Race. (via Friendship Bracelet)

MP3: Giant Claw: "I Know I'm Like A Ghost"

Midnight Murder is available for free dowload via Bandcamp