Burial’s Claustro / State Forest and the aura of the last track

The legendary producer is back with two brand new tracks titled “Claustro” and “State Forest,” released on Hyperdub Records. From the first listen, I was immediately drawn to the mystique of “State Forest,” and only recently thought of the otherworldly experiences I have with the closing tracks on Burials EPs.

“Claustro” is an upbeat, hectic, dub-infused banger, with subtle vocal samples and bass-heavy production, with colourful synths and an energetic beat that sounds at times like a retro-disco inspired track. It’s not one of my favourites in his discography, as I feel like he’s done a lot better in the past of creating soulful dubstep-inspired beats. It’s “State Forest” however, that captures my imagination and soul. There’s something incredibly poignant about the 8-minute stunner. Slow, moody synths and keys, creating a reflective atmosphere makes it a stunning track, and one which beautifully captures a mood of experiencing the gloomy aspect of life in the UK. This obviously isn’t the first time Burial has experimented with slow, ambient sounds.

On his last few EPs, the last tracks have always had a profoundly beautiful tone and aura to them. It’s impossible not to be fully immersed and at awe with the intensity and beauty of these records. 2017’s “Beachfires” and 2016’s “Nightmarket” are examples of this. The latter track has more built-up and hectic energy that never quite explodes, rather contains itself in a soothing, futuristic melody near the end. My personal favourite, however has got to be 2013’s “Come Down to Us,” with it’s absolutely breathtaking synths and ethereal atmosphere being complemented by broken and edited vocal samples that meander in between one another. The distorted sounds and angelic tone is one of Burial’s finest moments ever on record. It’s the complete aura that “State Forest” is able to create with it’s ambient synths is another reminder of how incredible Burial is as a musician.

Listen to Claustro / State Forest EP below via Bandcamp and don’t forget to support! Released via Hyperdub.