Since his 2021 release Darmok, Charlie Butler has been a regular fixture around these parts. The Lanarkshire-based guitarist has already released several blinding LPs in 2023, including the scuzzed-out odyssey as Neutraliser alongside fellow riff conjurer, Mike Vest. There have been others, but and we won’t pretend to be fully across it, such as the vast qualities that land in our orbit from the U.K. underground.
Over the past three years, from time-to-time Butler has tended to dial things down, and this where he is at his most harrowing. On his latest Cruel Nature dispatch, Parts Unknown, we find Butler in a contemplative mood, as he guides us through the haze that separates the past from the present.
Said to be inspired by his move from Reading to Lanarkshire last year, Parts Unknown consists of two long-form pieces that operate as a filmic blur, freezing time and taking the listener out of their own comfort zone for a while. It’s something we all need in a world that’s constantly moving onto the next thing, and while our muscle memory builds up a tolerance for these modern times, brick walls and burn out are never far away. With these recordings, Butler guides us away from the chaos towards calmer waters.
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Starting with Necropolis, Butler employs an array of soft synths and a repetitious melodic riff that slowly rises to the surface. For the most part, he captures the same emotive soundscapes reminiscent of David Pajo during his reign as Papa M. While Butler has always been a slave to a fuzz pedal or two, the cinematic warm distortion overrides any urges to crank up the noise. Ultimately, it’s where Butler produces his best results.
Being the longer of the two songs, Trace Italian starts with a creeping riff that builds into a fuzz-laden drone that feels like a companion to watching a sunrise in an open field. While it’s not as immediate as Necropolis, the two tracks complement one another purely through vibe. And that’s what Parts Unknown is. Rising from the embers of aggressive tones and distortion, Butler shows us his softer side, and it’s one that will serve him well for future releases.
Parts Unknown is out via Cruel Nature Records. Purchase from Bandcamp.
