Gamble’s new album ‘Exhaust’ has a clear moral and political stance. It expresses frustration with the addictive monotony of late capitalism, and attempts to overcome it through a combination of sheer force and subtle intricacy.
This becomes clear from the off, with a digitalised voice announcing: “Look around, we sell perfumes and cosmetics for one pound”. Gamble allows us to observe these frustrations briefly and then obliterates them with overwhelming and erratic sonic outbursts.
This reactionary sound is “neon-charms coalesc[ing] into an MDMA rush of Boston Dynamics dog barks, hypnotic voices, and imploding motion sculptures”, to quote the record’s own release notes. It makes you feel trapped in a melodic pinball machine, being fired around at break-neck-speed with no control over your own direction or whereabouts.
It is this adventurous element that makes his music so satisfying and refreshing to listen to. While there are recognisable elements and flashes of identifiable genres woven into his work, the way he structures his tracks is entirely original. It is a turbulent and at times jarring journey, but one that you will enjoy every step of the way.
