Sydney, Australia based Tek Genesis, formerly known as William., has been indulging fans of fusion-bass elements to the highest degree for the past year, switching up for a more experimental approach compared to his previous productions. Steeped in the idealistic elements of a complete rebirth, his rearranged focus has set him down a path towards complete audio domination, with his inner artistic turmoil firmly situated in the rear-view mirror. His newest work, his debut album Temp released on Noisia’s Division Recordings, is a culmination of all the trials and tribulations he faced, beginning with uncertainty and uneven ground, but fiercely blooming into sharp confidence and a palpable concrete aesthetic.
The album opens with ‘Scattered Dreams,’ a nod to the mental state one goes through when the direction their life was going is no longer their intended path. Jumbled, anxious, misplaced thoughts that can swell and bleed into each other, but eventually settle much like the dichotomy of puddles during a rain shower and then shortly after. This is the first step towards a new awakening, a new sound achieved and harnessed, ready to be thrust upon the masses.
Next comes ‘Amber’, a true showcase of the direction this project is moving. Much like how amber in nature is a remnant of the past that now exists in the present, the undertones of the William. project are quite noticeable in this piece, while also possessing next level sound design and flow. The overall feeling is something out of a futuristic sci-fi cityscape, feeding into the seedy underbelly of the industrial civilization. Equal parts confident and gangster, your head will surely be a-bopping along to the beat, assurance in yourself at an all-time high.
‘Lost Signal’ builds upon the newly found signature vibrations found in ‘Amber’ and adds a more hip-hop/trap feel. This is especially prevalent in the latter drop, as the slowed beat turns your hips into a gyrating tornado of swing. The bass from this track majestically purrs out of your speakers, with the overall thickness being one of the first things you’ll immediately notice. Full-bodied, cascading waves of low-end that are a veritable feast for your ears will leave you compulsively hitting repeat like your life depended on it, contentedly lost in the sound. If this entire body of work is about his journey transitioning as an artist, this piece is definitely about the grind day-in and day-out to make something that you’re truly proud of. It can be all-encompassing, driving, but also partially maddening.
Why work yourself to the bone if you never see results? ‘Petrichor,’ a collaboration with Quiet Bison, is the answer to that. The daily grind can become rhythmic and reflexive, easy to lose oneself in the cycle of it all. ‘Petrichor’ is the hope and newfound resolve that one finds when they can actually feel growth and progress taking hold. The opening melody is the perfect start to a day, with bright, positive energy bursting forth. Kicks and drums are quickly introduced, adding electricity and movement that would’ve otherwise had you stuck taking in the moment. The blending of styles between these two artists is a fantastic combination and one I hope is repeated in the near future.
‘Cloud Kingdom Theme’ is next on Temp, a switch-up from the previous few tracks. Replacing the intense body-coating basslines for air and open space, this piece is much more thought-provoking and leaves room to breathe. Don’t get me wrong, this track will slap on a big sound system, but the vibes from it are more about introspection and digging to your core, versus digging to the core of the Earth from dancing so hard. The elements are all wonderfully mixed together, creating a truly unique soundscape that emits its own bubble of reality.
Sitting firmly in the middle of Temp is ‘Ether’, an immediate must-listen for fans of progressive sound design. This is one of those pieces that leaves you thinking “damn, he really just did that.” The attention to detail is impeccable and all the added accents keep your ears firmly on their toes while still maintaining the overall flow to a pristine degree. The amount of different sounds contained within leads one to think about order from chaos, finding meaning from anything and everything, even things that you wouldn’t dream of being combined.
‘Shift,’ a collaborative effort with Keenan Mathias, is easily one of the most beautiful pieces on the album. Giving off vibes very reminiscent to parts of G Jones’s Ineffable Truth album from last year, this is a prime example of music that can move you using virtually no words. The message is conveyed and story told through vibrations alone, making you the puddle in the rain in this instance, each hit bouncing into you, becoming part of you, and then rippling to others. Hearing this live would cause a hush to fall over the crowd, with fans’ eyes firmly affixed on the stage, grateful to be alive in that singular moment.
The last song I’m going to highlight is ‘Head Kick’, which is in stark contrast to ‘Shift’. Where ‘Shift’ was ethereal, graceful, and airy, ‘Head Kick’ is a raucous jam-fest that will you get wildin’ out to the highest degree. Much more trap-oriented, the original William. project is finger-printed within, but magnificently utilizes the new sound that he’s really honed-in on. The sound design and bass-work here is bar-none, with each kick rippling your sound system, so rich and dense that it’s almost impossible to tell if an echo is being used or if the notes are really just that drawn-out.
For Tek Genesis, Temp is a culmination of all the pains he faced as an artist who had seemingly lost his way, and all the energy he put into creating a new identity for himself both in his music and persona. The album, however, sounds like it’s coming from a seasoned veteran that has already had their own style under their belt for several years at this point, a true nod to his work-ethic and perfectionism. Temp goes through several different styles and moods, eliciting noticeable overall changes in each listener, while still maintaining its cohesiveness. If you weren’t paying attention before, one full trek through this body of work from start to finish will leave you an instant fan, captivated by his sounds and the emotions that he can make you feel. Putting his mark concretely on 2019, the coming year will have fans anxiously awaiting what he’s whipping up next, the brink of stardom not at all out of sight. Check out all that is Temp for yourself below!
