Brooklyn producer Michael Bouldry-Morrison has always stood out among the 100% Silk roster. As Octo Octa he was making crisp, hi-definition dancefloor music when much of the L.A. label’s output felt like an extension of the dubby psychedelia of parent label Not Not Fun, or else pursued an overtly retro, lo-fi house aesthetic. And in contrast to his peers’ allegiances to the US underground, Bouldry-Morrison’s emergent style seemed to mirror the U.K.’s adoption of house forms-- particularly in its use of bold chord progressions and re-pitched R&B a capellas (see the "1 Thing"-sampling "I’m Trying"). But Bouldry-Morrison’s use of these techniques has always been inventive and, above all, distinctive-- the sugary synthetic surface and lambent reverb haze of his tracks is often unmistakable*.* And as 100% Silk has continued to churn out records of variable quality over the past couple of years, Bouldry-Morrison is one of its few signings who, you sense, may have a future beyond that corner of the underground.
Between Two Selves is Bouldry-Morrison’s debut LP, and it represents the next step in a steady refinement of the Octo Octa formula. The arrangements have become a little more measured perhaps, the deployment of a capellas less brazen. Structures undulate smoothly, acting out a series of mini-dramas of tension and release, and the handling of frequencies is pleasingly full-spectrum, displaying a renewed emphasis on thunderous basslines and kickdrums. A recurrent feature of Bouldry-Morrison’s sound is his unusually extreme use of compression, meaning that sonic elements don’t sit alongside one another so much as pump fluidly in and out of focus. It’s an effect that may detract from these tracks’ dancefloor effectiveness-- clarity can be lost in denser moments, and important percussive parts might become temporarily obscured in the fog-- but it also lends them a mirage-like quality that is hugely appealing.
Bouldry-Morrison uses this sound as a vehicle for a newly committed exploration of the limits of his expressive range in a record which, in the producer’s own words, delves into themes of “happiness, anxiety, queerness, and relationships.” An undercurrent of darkness surfaces at points, one not really heard in previous Octo Octa releases. "Fear" is sluggish, warehouse-ready techno of a sort, brooding at the opening and, when its chords take on a serrated edge at midpoint, almost aggressive. "Come Closer" is more driving, but its looped central refrain of “I want you,” shrouded in a frost of reverb, takes on a sinister urgency. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the expressive spectrum, "His Kiss" is a joyous, U.K. hardcore-indebted affirmation of desire, all delectable chord-spume and rickety breakbeats.
These moments are all excellent in their way, and it’s gratifying to see Bouldry-Morrison broaden his emotional palette. But, going on the evidence of Between Two Selves, the producer’s strongest mode is a form of dreamlike, sensuous fulfillment. It’s present in languid deep house opener "Who Will I Become", with its aqueous synth figures, or the lucid "Bad Blood", whose down-pitched R&B vocal manages to evade cliche through the the subtle sweetness of its backing. "Please Don’t Leave", meanwhile, is a little more forlorn, but trades in the sort of deluxe melancholy that demands to be wallowed in. These tracks are confections, light on the palette and tremendously moreish, and they’re among Bouldry-Morrison’s finest work.
Granted, there are a few weaker moments too-- particularly "Work Me", whose alternation between the robust thud of New York house and a syncopated bass hook feels a little too derivative of the U.K. house new school. And in spite of its variations in tone, Between Two Selves is sonically rather homogenous-- Bouldry-Morrison’s taste for candyfloss synths can can start to grate after 50 minutes. But for the most part it’s clear that the producer’s style has reached new heights of subtlety and richness on this record. Octo Octa has long been one of the stronger cards in the 100% Silk deck; after hearing Between Two Selves it's tempting to declare him the strongest.
