Recommended: Midland – Placement EP

“Placement”, the second release by Midland on Aus Music, is another step forward for an artist who seems to improve with everything he does. From last year’s “Through Motion” and “Bring Joy” EPs to remixes for Sei A and Washed Out, not to mention his stunning edit of Boards of Canada’s “Olson“, it seems everything Harry Agius touches turns to gold. Sorry that’s Midland, not Midas. My bad.

“Tape Burn” is a slow, methodical track that almost feels like an intro to this suite – but for the fact that it’s five minutes long. Everything is carefully paced, as phrases ebb and flow and time almost seems to stand still between stanzas. It’s so simple but one of the key points of this track is the manner in which he often brings in new percussive elements on the last beat of a given phrase. From his booming kicks to more delicate hi-hats, they arrive just before the moment you expect to hear them, giving the otherwise languid track a sense of taut urgency. Four minutes into this track comes a syncopated synth line that briefly raises its head above the parapet but never really makes its presence felt. That’s because that same synth line is the key ingredient to “Placement”. Its early appearance acts merely as a prelude to its more prominent role in the title track. “Placement” bristles with more aggravated percussion and darker chords at a faster tempo, as unexpected synths bob and weave above Midland’s signature touch – what’s most impressive about Midland’s production, if I had to single out just one aspect, is his percussion. Crisp and warm, it’s laden with a perfect amount of punch that makes every kick delightfully satisfying.

Midland – Placement [AUS1237] (Low Quality) by Midland

Scorched synths and chopped-up vocals permeate the haunted wasteland of “What We Know”, which for all the world evokes memories of early-00s prog house. I know that’s not a particularly cool genre to name-drop, but think about it. Six or eight-minute tracks that chug along with juddering synths and relentless percussion, music that demands attention and care in the mix, narcotic chuggers such as this aren’t that far off the sound of the (then) all-conquering Global Underground series. But we’re living in a post-everything age, so let’s just compromise and call it house, plain and simple. Even if it’s neither of those things. The richness of Midland’s music defies such narrow platitudes, while resisting the easy game of a guess the genre. That said, if “What We Know” is prog, then “Tail Ender” (which you can preview on Pitchfork) would feel much more at home on something like The Black Dog’s “Bytes” or “Spanners”, with its sci-fi bassline, fizzing, erratic percussion and guttural synths. Rain-soaked crackles play out like the sound of a well loved 12 inch, while the absence of a comfortable, familiar, beefy kick, for the most part, adds an air of unresolved tension to this somewhat inaptly titled track – it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s been tacked on. As if it needed to be said, this EP comes highly recommended, and acts only to further bolster Midland’s reputation as one of the most accomplished producers of good, solid house music working today.

Midland – Placement EP is out on March 26 on Aus Music

Aidan Hanratty

Dublin ...

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