Struck EP by Rainer Veil (Review)

Initially, Rainer Veil’s take on downbeat electronic music seems familiar: the 5 songs on this, their Modern Love debut, foray into the same moody, ominous dubstep territory that Burial has mapped out so successfully. (Just listen for the ghostly vocal snippets on “Bala” and “Wade In” to hear what I mean.) However, there’s a spaciousness in Liam Morley and Dan Valentine’s music that allows a few dim rays of light to pierce the clouds and give some color to the EP’s 25 minutes.

The title track begins with stuttering beats that suggest the listener should brace themselves for something fast and hard, but they’re slowly subsumed by layers of synth pads whose transitions prove just as propulsive, though not nearly as abrasive. The aforementioned “Bala” may feature ghostly Burial-ish vocals, but it winds down with a gorgeously understated denouement that’s all the more powerful — and uplifting — for its subtlety. Finally, “Wade In” features some subtle tonal shifts à la the title track that beckon you to lean in closer and listen all the more intently.

While the sonic elements may bring to mind Burial, the mindstate induced by Rainer Veil’s music is reminscent of Marconi Union’s understated ambience, though laced with a dubstep edge. Listening to Struck EP evokes scenes of driving down empty, rain-slicked city streets at 3am, and the wierd mixture of isolation and exhiliration that such a time and environment can evoke. All in all, an impressive and haunting debut thanks to its remarkably mature degree of restraint and control.