Burial Grid - Music For No Tomorrow

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Burial Grid’s Music For No Tomorrow is full of fascinating auditory elements, unsettled soundscapes and musical moments that radiate fragile beauty. Burial Grid has woven a richly patterned sonic fabric out of threads of melancholy, power and uncertainty.

Music For No Tomorrow has a number of challenging musical qualities, but it never becomes experimental for the sake of experimenting. I enjoy the way in which Burial Grid isn’t afraid to present the listener with atonal or harsh elements while still maintaining strong musicality.

All of the varied soundscapes that fill Music For No Tomorrow are skilfully constructed by Burial Grid. The tones, timbres and intensely unique sounds are carefully incorporated to tease and please the listener’s ears. What might be a patchwork becomes intriguing and engaging to hear.

Melody makes a welcome appearance in this music. I feel that Burial Grid has an ear finely attuned to crafting beautiful, sometimes deeply emotional melodies in his music. Despite all of the complexity and ear-twisting auditory moments on the album, there’s still room for beauty.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Stop Thinking About Tomorrow” starts off as wide, intensely flaring synth rebounds into open space in broken patterns. Reverberating sounds shiver out and taut, glistening piano flits in quick lines that add more brightness to the music.

Broad, flashing sounds continue to move and a rattling noise cascades while absolutely unctuous bass bubbles up and around everything and again the light flares, vast sounds vibrate and rattling, scraping percussion also moves through.

Distant, delicate piano repeats its tentative pattern and distorted sounds intertwine. The layered background is dominated by an elevated, continually pulsing sound. The plethora of unique, ear-bending sounds superbly evokes unsettled uncertainty. The track shimmers and twists, always touched by fragile piano repeating a twirling melodic figure.

Bending, string-like sounds move into open space in slowly shifting lines to start “Soothing Sounds For Detrivora.” Glittering notes chime and varied percussion bursts as a static-y swirling sound moves. A tambourine rattles and xylophone notes resonate over gigantic, wobbling bass.

The background bass pattern creates active motion as woodsy xylophone clatters and quick sounds leap up. Medium-high, glowing synth echoes out in roaming lines above bouncing bass. The lead synth shifts in angular motion while chimes flicker beautifully with sunny light.

Xylophone echoes into open space while slowly dropping synth notes join chimes over tremulous notes. A harsh grating sound writhes in growling, broken pieces while dense drums rebound.

Popping, crunching sounds form a moving pattern as airy sounds flow in to open “Asri." Echoing bells ring out above a broadly sweeping noise below delicate chimes. The underlying sounds are pleasingly rich, deep and soothing as they intertwine. There’s a peaceful, relaxed quality in the track’s low end, touched by shadow.

Chimes float into open space while vibrating lower synth gains power. Squashing sounds shiver as bass waves flow heavily underneath. A higher sound wobbles ethereally above gritty lower noises. A gentle segment moves in as resonant chiming rings out and a subtle synth shakes through.

Enfolding, bell-like sounds ring with a luscious glow and digital twinkling drifts as tapping, watery sounds move. The bells exude hazy light as a bass wall towers. Metallic percussion taps and repeating, sounds slice through as hollow drums also guide the music.

Distorted synth wavers in a unsettled pattern over a smoothly pulsing drumbeat as gruff scraping noises shift to open “Infallibility.” Round-sounding, medium-high synth carries a melancholy melody above steady scraping. Deep, bright bells flare out with a powerful shine. Bursting sounds shift below the main melody's more uplifting glow as rapidly tumbling synth cascades through the music.

Harsh chiming rings out with an intense light as rippling, jangling notes drop in undulating lines. The man melodic synth has a towering majesty about it, carrying a melody enjoyably bursting with nobility and caressing emotion. Full-sounding, metallic synth and gong-like notes create depth along with vibrating, unctuous notes.

“Tun State” commences as floating, high synth joins a throbbing kick drum and water droplets. Crystalline synth descends in delicate, fluttering notes and glistening glockenspiel rings out. Deep, full synth notes tremble and fall through the music to add weight.

The glockenspiel has a tenuous feeling that I find touching. Echoing, elevated synth flickers while darker bass moves below. Flashing synth adds an intense glow while bass snarls into knots. The raised sounds are uncertain and fleeting while sharper noises echo out.

The track moves into a segment in which scattershot synth is joined by low, skittering notes that scuttle past. Droplets splash and the kick drum throbs in an uneven pattern before silence falls.

Open-voiced drums move below dragging, trembling high synth to begin “You’re Home, Arturo.” Raised, swirling sound is joined by harsh, quickly slicing notes and clotted, gritty noise. High notes move along with all manner of tripping, skipping sounds while vast bass and pounding drums add support.

There’s a chaotic, off-kilter feeling to the leaping high notes to which I am drawn. Battering pulses move along with clashing thunderclaps. Now fragile chimes and vocal sounds create ethereal reverence above thumping drums and solid bass.

Gleaming chimes roam in tentative brightness as thunder roars again. Broken tapping shifts as vocal resonance adds a contemplative quality and sparkling sound flows above the lush depths below.

“Dream Self” kicks off as rapidly vibrating noises pop and digital sounds flutter. Very high, starry synth echoes out as string-like lead synth adds a steady glow. The lead synth carries an pleasing melody full of aching emotion. Extremely elevated synth adds blinding light before lead synth carries the caressing melody, broken by jagged sounds.

String-like synth drifts above the solid depths as tapping sounds rattle. Synth motes shimmer out while xylophone echoes and flanging sounds flare through. Percussion ticks as rough-edged noises cut in and enveloping high notes cry out. Distorted, elevated notes glitter into silence as the music stops.

Smashing weight, dripping water and a heaving guitar form a crushing pattern to start “It All Ends At Midnite.” All of the heavy noises effectively generate a forceful sensation as they collide. Steadily vibrating sound shifts along with glockenspiel that feels lost in the towering weight around it.

Water drops fall steadily, gentle voices ring out and shattering power smacks into the listener’s ears with stunning weight. Guitar scrapes and metallic strings clash. Now the track moves into a quieter segment in which glockenspiel flickers and a steady sonic pulse is broken by twisting noises that flit past.

Battering sound hits again while nasal, squelching noises shift and chiming notes glitter. Bending distortion drops in wavering lines and ticking fills the background before ending on wet, wobbling noises

Conclusion

Music For No Tomorrow is a work of great auditory complexity and depth that is still emotionally engaging. It eschews a coldly experimental approach and evokes strong feelings and sensations as it unfolds. I was both entertained and given thoughtful moments of reflection by this album.