EP Review

TĀLĀ - The Duchess

Item: TĀLĀ - The Duchess
Rating: 4

London producer of Iranian descent defies location on her ear-splitting debut.

Reviewer: Jamie Milton

Released: 2nd June 2014

Label: Aesop

Based in London, TĀLĀ intends to defy location. Her everyday base means nothing. Having spent years raised in Iran, her debut EP ‘The Duchess’ is all about travel and dislocation. Like one great culture shock to the system, it runs from the tense, bass-heavy ‘Serbia’ to the self explanatory ‘On My Own In Hua Hin’. This is the musical equivalent of Alex Garland’s ‘The Beach’, where in an early chapter, the book’s protagonist gives into cultural temptation and drinks a glass of snake’s blood. This is dark and daring electronic music, bowing down to a worldie influence.

When the beats aren’t sharp and mystical in quality - think Forest Swords with a bitter taste - TĀLĀ lives up to her boasted 90s influence and game soundtrack obsession. ‘Serbia’ could oversee an ultimate Tekken battle, while ‘The Duchess’’ title-track is a boss level of its own making. Throughout, this is an EP obsessed with sounding otherworldly. It’s a well-travelled, worn and wise first work.

Tags: EP Reviews, Reviews, Tāla