Joker – “Only You” & “No Face”
Bristol, UK producer Liam McLean has been releasing futuristic electronic music under the name Joker since 2007. Signing to 4AD in 2011 for the release of his first full length, The Vision, the grime/dubstep producer released his follow-up album The Mainframe in 2015 and has gained notoriety for producing beats that are as hard-hitting and catchy as they are imaginative. And now he’s shared a pair of tracks from his upcoming Phoenix EP called “Only You” (via The Fader) and “No Face” (via Pigeons And Planes).
Throughout its four-minute run time, “Only You” integrates dark and melodramatic voices and horns into a landscape of ultra-modern synth tones and classic dance-driven drums. That said, perhaps the most impressive aspect of this song is the integration of new sounds, rhythmic ideas and arrangements over the course of its duration. Though “Only You” utilizes the same mantra throughout, each section has its own layout, finding a center in its melodic ideas and leaving all other aspects to present different perspectives of the over-all motif. “No Face” is similarly loud and epic. Listen to both tracks below.
Phoenix is out 5/6 on Kapsize.