System Bi feat. Fakeba – Black Needle Noise (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

To say that John Fryer, the man at the heart of Black Needle Noise, has been responsible for music which has not only enhanced the musical landscape but often led the way, creating musical fashion rather than following it, is no understatement. As a producer he helped define alternative music from The Cocteau Twins to Lush and from Xmal Deutschland to Nine Inch Nails so it isn’t surprising that when he has free rein to create his own music it is just as forward-thinking and mercurial as those iconic bands.

Fryer is the master of choosing the right people to collaborate with, people who will help take his music in interesting and unexpected directions and the vocals provided by Fakeba are the perfect balance to the music behind it. Here singing in Wolif she proves that communication isn’t just about words but even with a language barrier to many listeners the sound she brings is still beautifully emotive, connecting on a more primal, pre-language level. The result is the exotic and tribal sounds of Africa but rendered by electronica and western studio technology, it is a balance of a timeless vocal and a futuristic sound, of dark musical elements and euphoric vocals, a sound clash of mystery and modernity.

But the collaborative process doesn’t end there as the video is made up from footage from Gina Czarmeki’s short film Spintex which adds another layer of exotica to the whole package. Even with such a body of work already under his belt, John Fryer is still pushing boundaries and this cross cultural weave of sound and sentiment shows that he doesn’t show any sign of resting on his laurels just yet.