Rockwell - Obsolete Medium

Rockwell
Obsolete Medium
2015
Rockwell - Obsolete Medium

When you hear the name Rockwell you probably think of the Michael Jackson hook and spooky Halloween music video from the 80s. This is not that Rockwell. This Rockwell is English drum & bass producer who is widely heralded as one of the best talents in the genre today. Obsolete Medium is his debut album and is a non-stop shot of excitement from beginning to end, taking a genre which is often known for sameness and flipping it on it's head. Though many of the sounds are the same, their organization is wildly original and creates something that all at once is firmly grounded in the D&B scene but also has an other worldly soundscape quality. On "14Me" He runs the full gamete first bringing in simple rhythms then taking you into outer space with soaring tones only to abruptly drop you back to earth, and all that in one track. However like much of D&B be prepared for a lot of the same over and over again. There are times where you are looking for some relief from the pace or something to change up the song structure, but it never really comes over all the tracks.

For those in the scene this is exactly what they are looking for, all energy all the time, but for the casual listener this can become not only to much to fast, but boring at the same time. A song like "Itsok2behapp-e" keeps the exact same rhythm for almost 6 minutes, something great for aggressive dancing in a club but it looses it's muster once you head out into the light of day. That is probably the albums biggest misstep, a lack of editing and a repeative quality that just never seems to end. By the end you are dying for something new and Rockwell never gives it to you, He is going to make you like whatever He is creating by shoving it down your throat. The inventiveness that the album begins with just begins to slide into obscurity and more of the same. There just is to much lacking, and not enough development on this record to really get into it. If you are looking to get amp'd Obsolete Medium is for you, otherwise this may be one that passes you buy.

5.7 out of 10