EP Review: Signal to Noise

Wubchaser is the electronic music project of Auckland-based sound engineer and producer Luke Finlay of Primal Mastering. Hailing from the alternative music scene and having previously played in metal bands, Finlay has more recently been doing live sound at big events such as RnV, Shipwrecked, Aum, and Splore. After working on such massive sound systems Finlay felt drawn to start creating bass music as a genre that fits his aesthetic for dark ambiance and bass-driven soundscapes, and to really put these subs to the test!

With the release of this EP Signal to Noise, Finlay draws on many years of experience in sound engineering and takes listeners on an immersive journey through a dystopian world of throbbing bass and dark fascination.

Meditation//Mediation is a suitably hypnotic opener with its pulsating wub and prehistoric-sounding clackety percussive elements. The call of a giant winged creature rings out over the bell-like chimes of the melody, which entices the listener into a deeper state of trance.

A deep continuous rumbling opens Sleep Won’t Come which then begins to slowly breathe and crackle. It sounds like a distortion on the bass, but after a while, it begins to purr like Falkor in a dark cave. It creates a really interesting texture that I have not heard before. It’s almost industrial and definitely feels a bit apocalyptic.

The final track Inept is a bit of a continuation or maybe a part 2 of the previous track, which at one point breaks down to just the distortion purr, but getting airier and breathier until it sounds like you’re standing underneath the whirring blades of a helicopter. This track would sound amazing through the big subs and would be an all-body experience, I’m sure. There are some pretty deep frequencies resonating through this that I probably can’t even hear through my headphones!

If dark mood, interesting soundscapes, and audiotech-appeal are your thing then this EP is sure to spin your wheels. There wasn’t much melodic hook or dance appeal for my pop-loving sensibilities, but I’m sure Wubchaser has achieved the aims that were set out to achieve. And if not, well there is plenty more music to be made and this is but an ominous and crunchy beginning!