Artist of the Day: ASC

The date today is 20 July 2012; just over halfway through the year. Since January, ASC have released one double single, three EPs and one LP. That's a lot of music. What makes this all the more impressive is that, without fault, it's all rather good as well. With his own take on Techno, Ambient, Hardcore and even (we're told) Motown influences, ASC began his healthy binge of creating electronic music through an equally as large addiction to listening to it. While still in school he had already begun DJ'ing on pirate radio stations - a somewhat outdated pastime now that the internet exists - and this broad range of tastes and influences from such an early age is easily identifiable in his music.

ASC's releases tend to be quite dark: with heavy bass and broad, ambient sweeps. Percussion is fast yet patters more than it thumps, and his sense of space and structure is absolutely spot on. At the same time, melodies can be quite playful; creating this oddly positive tone from what would otherwise be such mellow tracks. Never is this more the case than with "No Secrets," from the recently released No Secrets/ Zenith split vinyl, which subtlety transforms its tone with the addition of three short notes to every bar just after a minute into the track. 

ASC is yet to truly break into the mainstream, however, but for those who can stomach meticulously crafted soundscapes his extensive back-catalogue is a treasure-trove of great music.

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