Fresh from a short tour of Japan, and now back in L.A., prolific producer, David Harrow’s just released a new full-length set entitled Rare Earth Technology. It’s another fine modular mix of experimental electronics, ambient and dub. A collection of cavernous echo chamber explorations / excavations. Electro-acoustic, kinda electro-organic, where field recordings, glitched bits of birdsong, frogs and crickets, are locked, with percussion, doctored by delay, in wonky loops. Vocals are stretched, and echoed, while synths make like snake-charming reeds. The resulting fluidity is sometimes slow and squelchy, at others tethered to a tumbling, tribal, techno thump. 

The skanking, spritely stepping, Canyon Sound is one of many standouts. Its psychedelic production, showered with seemingly random cowbell clonking, is surely a tribute to the mighty Upsetter, Lee “Scratch” Perry, and his legendary Black Ark. Forwards Backwards is another. A cracking cosmic concoction that references the kosmische of Moebius, Plank, and Neumeier, while filtering and phasing a Link Wray-like tremolo twang, feedback ringing, into a 4th world jungle rock. Walking Ghost – he crashing, clanking steam-punk funk – builds a house (music) of sorts from strange strings, and a dancing marimba-like melody. Theremin thrown into its shape-shifting, energetic structure. Ikiga is a techno take on exotica, tiki-lounge cocktail jazz. Ripe with wildlife-like whistles and chirrups. The IDM-edged closer, Almost, its microscopic molecular movements all prettily twisted textures and tones, is a prize for anyone into Plaid or The Black Dog.

David Harrow’s Rare Earth Technology is out now via Bandcamp.