Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem - Layer One (2LP) [Layer Records]

--> Format: 2x12" + Gatefold.

Ben Klock and Fadi Mohem announce their collaborative debut album featuring Coby Sey and Flowdan on the new LAYER imprint.

Ben Klock and Fadi Mohem present their first collaborative album on their new record label, LAYER. This ten-track project, titled Layer One, follows the hypnotic Klockworks 34 EP, which paved the way in 2022. In a bold shift from the techno roots that have defined and fuelled their careers, Klock and Mohem are now pushing the boundaries of genres, exploring IDM, ambient, and experimental electronic music, while maintaining the brilliance that characterized their previous works.

The conceptual direction of Layer One transports us to a post-human world, where humanity is near extinction on Earth, leaving only traces, tracks, and relics: digital fossils and machine-generated images that capture ephemeral moments of non-human photography, while Artificial Intelligence persists in a world that silently flourishes without us. We do not perceive this as a grim apocalyptic dystopia, but as a serene and sober reflection on a world that continues to exist and thrive, indifferent to humanity's absence. Despite this unforgiving scenario, on this journey we encounter survivors who signal a memory of human sensibilities.

Elevating this project are two deeply human and dynamic collaborations with the charismatic Coby Sey and the legendary grime MC Flowdan. Sey, a prominent figure in the British music scene known for his work with artists like Tirzah and Mica Levi, brings a mesmerizing emotional depth to his music. Opening the album with the powerful track Ultimately, Sey offers spoken reflections on creativity and life, over experimental soundscapes meticulously crafted by Klock and Mohem. Nostalgia permeates this opening track, and track 7, Clean Slate, reinforces this sentiment with Sey's stream-of-consciousness flow and wordplay.