al wootton: we have come to banish the dark

Al Wootton returns to his label Trule with his second album “We Have Come To Banish The Dark”. The record is a product of dystopic times, taut with energy and restrained violence, yet never oppressive or nihilistic. The theme is one of unity, liberation and resistance to a darkening world, against the rising tide of fascism, hypercapitalism, and right wing politics. Yet there remains a constant hope and light, most evident in the downtempo roller “Devarim” and the closing bars of “May Your Angels Of Light Accept Him”. Wootton brings to the fore his youth experiences playing in post-punk bands and his longstanding appreciation of Metal to this swung, robust techno album. “We Have Come to Banish The Dark’’ recalls the industrialism of Chris and Cosey, Coil and Throbbing Gristle, while the ghosts of the UK Hardcore continuum through Jungle and UK Garage remain an ever haunting presence. The rhythms maintain a flexibility and lightness of touch that provide contrast to the monochrome industrial sound palette. Over nine tracks Wootton explores a variety of rhythmic styles, from techno steppers such as “Descender” and “A Pox Cast”, to the 4x4 house of “A Cruel Sun Over Catalonia”, the minimal Drum and Bass-esque “Number, Weight , Division” and the loopy techno of “The Norman Yoke”, while eschewing typical genre tropes to maintain a cohesive sound over the whole album. We Have Come To Banish The Dark is an album that rewards both ecstatic club moments and repeated deep listening with its high energy and detailed, textured sound design.