Ternion Sound – DUPLOC043

By Jordan Moussavi

Ternion Sound’s latest collaboration ranges from sumptuously dark to dreamily cosmic, enjoying significant contributions from a range of talented artists.

Wasting no time, the EP kicks off with “The Engineers”—an appropriately titled track given the impressive technical feat of balancing each layer so carefully. Enigma Dubz’s (stylised ‘ENiGMA Dubz) influence is immediately felt, with the track’s warped, shifting basslines sitting front and centre, helping to anchor the colourful flourishes fired off to stereo. Reverb and delay, as with any atmospheric dub or dubstep track, are instrumental in setting the tone, and the wetwork coupled with spooky pads make for some delectably dark listening.

This is quickly followed up by “Mediator”, a notably astral entry in the running order that sees the trio share credits with Welsh standout, Opus. A twinkling lead with some tasteful detuning fires up the boosters, with spacey vocal hits setting a course for the stars. When the main groove hits, the atmospherics are positively transportive; floaty leads intersect with sharp hats, with a warm, subby bass cradling the lot.

From the cosmos to the graveyard, “Catacombs” brings the listener right back down to earth and, quite possibly, below it. From the get-go, Lost (stylised “LOST”) brings out the brash and bawdy sensibilities of the EP’s hosts, with a crunchy bass and a generous helping of dissonant screeches shoring up the soundscape. As straight-talking as it is crushingly heavy, Catacombs has a good chance of raising the dead and is calling out for an MC to make it their own.

Finally, rather than let the record settle to a simmer, Ternion Sound choose to end it with a veritable bang, calling upon Denver’s “Smith” (stylised “smith.”) to help ignite the fireworks. “Heart Machine” is an unexpectedly grotty end to proceedings and revels in the filth it creates. From beginning to end the track combines maniacal laughter, uncomfortable dissonance and a slurry of slushy bass craft to make for immediate screwface—a peak time pistol shot of the highest calibre.

Ternion Sound’s latest drop is a technically impressive showcase of the trio’s ability to work with a range of guests without losing their sonic identity. From start to finish, a plethora of different sounds are offered without any loss to the cohesiveness of the record, and the track order lends itself well to this. The record would make an excellent cop for 140 listeners and beyond.

Posted on July 1, 2021

Ternion Sound - DUPLOC043