Out via Addictech Records, Spoonbill's new Ultraniche EP will have you all bamboozled smack dab in your noodle. A multifarious monster of an EP, this four-course delicacy is overflowing with scrumptious shenanigans and vibrant reverberations. With Ultraniche, Spoonbill once again proves why he is the apex predator out in the Australian bush. His niche? Waddling amongst the weeds and bleeding cutting-edge creativity wherever he goes. Each and every cut off Ultraniche is malarkey in the most marvelous of ways, making you wiggle, jiggle, and shake your stuff to Spoonbill's masterclass in phat-ass sound design. If you wanna feel equal parts elevated and discombobulated, Ultraniche has the sizzlin' textures to scramble your noggin and the gyrating grooves to flabbergast your noddin'.
Spanning a vast stretch in the space of genres and tempos, Spoonbill has amassed an impressive archive of varying styles united under the unmistakable, crisp, animated aesthetic that distinguishes his funky-fresh production from the rest of the pack. Upping the ante from 2019's full-length Canopy, Spoonbill inoculates Ultraniche with a little extra oomph for shindigs' sake. A true dancefloor doohickey, Spoonbill's latest serving of cartoony buffoonery abounds with boundless energy, harmonizing across the media ether with Stefan Nott's abstract, eggsquisite artwork. Depicting a labyrinth of portals and twisting staircases, this cover art prophesizes the spiralling safari of sounds that Spoonbill is about to embark on. From the stupendous breakbeat leakage with a glitch to scratch of "Slack Bivvy" to the lush low frequencies and rambunctious jungle jive of "Bushwrangle," Ultraniche is a gobsmacking, gargantuan release on one of the highest-quality underground labels around.
Mischievously dubbed, "Wrong Shaped Square" opens with an ominous whistle layered by irresistible, creeping synths that Spoonbill somehow alternates between sounding menacing and celebratory. As the wubby wizardry unfolds, an entanglement of instruments weave in and out like vines in a rainforest. Each dainty tidbit that tiptoes onto the scene enters from left field, but nonetheless feels right at home amongst the chameleon-esque color palette of Ultraniche. Complementing the gravy, gorgeous guitar of Eden Altman, Spoonbill incorporates kaleidoscopic peculiarities that blur the line between instrument, bird, and machine. This harmonious hodgepodge of shifting shapes is far from square, instead opting for uncanny, nutty, and downright kooky.
Sloppy seconds? More like delectable, savory seconds! With synths to make your soul scintillate and some of the fowlest frequencies this or that side of the Pacific, "Slack Bivvy" is a thick soundscape chock-full of persnickety frippery. Flaunting a freakish variety of high fidelity fisticuffs, Spoonbill unleashes one particularly nasty tone—a sonorous, industrial roar—that dynamically pops out of the mix every time it's uttered. This booming doozy of a sound looms large amidst the ridiculous rhythmic finesse and layers of happy hullabaloo that bring "Slack Bivvy" to life. The most boisterous Spoony tune since 2016's "Rawkus Talkus" featuring Russ Liquid made us say What the cluck?!?, "Slack Bivvy" stands out as a whacky whatchamacallit brimming with bodacious antics and plenty of tom—or should we say jim—foolery.
Fans of more obscure Spoonbill cuts may have an inkling of what to expect when they see the title of "Rowdy Pup." Harking back to his remix of Adham Shaikh's "Rug Rippin," Spoonbill barks up a storm with the hefty hook and pounding impetus behind this perky pupper party. "Rowdy Pup" gets a treat for its impressive repertoire of tricks, from a game of fetch with wavetable synthesis to rolling over in a slobbering state of serendipity with its spry, walloping flow. The swiftest uptempo anthem on Ultraniche, this canine carnival will cause your pets to turn their heads in bumfuzzled perplexity. Lively and exhilarating, "Rowdy Pup" is so very thrilled to see you that its excitement accidentally slips into rage as it bares its mettlesome teeth. But does this mutt bite? (You'll have to find out for yourself.)
"Bushwrangle" offers up a ferocious foray in which Spoonbill finagles together a syzygy of orgasmically organic samples, filthy growls of mechanical manipulation, and an enrapturing ukulele plucked by Charlie Mgee. This motley of eclectic elements coalesces in a succulent extravaganza that flexes the audio audacity Spoonbill is known for. Exceedingly gritty and raunchy, "Bushwrangle" mangles your mind's perception of time by schmearing the here and now with untamed bellows of bass. Situated superbly in the mix—similar to the crunchy lower registers of "Bombilate" from Tinkerbox—these underlying sinusoidal ingredients of "Bushwrangle" are just thunderous enough to bedazzle your brain and just subtle enough to leave you wanting more. The scrupulously selected tones throughout this track are otherworldly, culminating in a unified, orchestral vibe that transports the listener to a magnificently detailed alien wetland. Traversing this tantalizing sonic terrain of deep, beastly vibrations is one wild ride! Spoonbill even leaves you a hoofed companion to assist in navigating the treachery. As you mount your steed, in the background, a brouhaha of kookaburras chuckles, cheering on Spoonbill's aviary escapades in animalistic sound design.
Throughout the invigorating and enthralling Ultraniche, Spoonbill uniquely blends a bouquet of influences to distill a style all his own—one of wild sophistication, goofy gravity, and witty gobbledygook. The noises employed by the savvy, feathered maestro are simultaneously silly and seriously crafted, resulting in a revelry of unrelenting weirdness and outlandish oddities—precisely the paradoxical poppycock that propelled the Omelette Records founder to his pioneering position atop the global electronic music circuit in the first place. Mastered at his own MoonSpoon Studio, Ultraniche resonates beautifully thanks to Spoonbill's diligent and discerning ears.
This thing is wowzers! This thing is berserk! Quirkier than a quail, if today were opposite day, Spoonbill would be a jerk! But it's not, so we have our lucky stars to thank for Spoonbill's prolific impact on this gigantic terrestrial Egg we call Earth. So, show your friends, show your family, heck...show a complete stranger the saucy, eggcentric excellence of Spoonbill's Ultraniche just to catch a glimpse of the bewildered look in their eyes. Who knows, you might even spread a little joy to passersby(:
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