- Joe McBride had a fruitful 2013. He unveiled himself as one half of Akkord, who released their anticipated debut LP, and he bookended the year with two EPs from his tender-hearted Synkro project. Akkord released another razor-sharp Houndstooth EP in June this year, but Transient is the first transmission of 2014 from Synkro. Considering the time spent away and the life changes in between (including a move from Manchester back to his hometown in Derbyshire), Transient was primed to break new ground, or at least make good on McBride's growth as an artist. It manages to do both, albeit in subtle increments.
In addition to the obligatory Burial nods, "Someone" and the title track find McBride retrofitting his gauzy bass music with standard drum & bass and dubstep beats respectively. It's an obvious move, sure, but one that gives the music some necessary substance. On the record's B-side, McBride emerges from his comfort zone, especially on the romantic sway of "Contact." Bluesy guitars, simple jazz drums and chopped Rhodes samples complement his usual airy atmospheres surprisingly well. "Falling" is far less unexpected, though it closes Transient with a thoughtful deconstruction of the prototypical first half that sounds almost like McBride might never put things back together in quite the same way.
TracklistA1 Someone
A2 Transient
B1 Contact
B2 Falling