M.E.S.H.

As a co-founder of Berlin club night Janus along with fellow American expatriate Lotic, DJ/producer James Whipple has long been scouring cyberspace for hard-edged, futuristic sounds and recontextualising them for the dancefloor. His initial releases as M.E.S.H. combined the jagged beats of UK grime and garage with dubby textures and a sense of meticulous sound design that characterises defining electronica artists such as Autechre, resulting in a sound and an aesthetic occasionally referred to as ‘post-Internet’. His debut full-length album, Piteous Gate, is a bold step forward, leaving behind much of the dance-informed elements of his previous work, and creating an unpredictable, sometimes frightening album of dark, theatrical soundscapes. The album contrasts harsh, demolishing sounds with more delicate ones, such as lutes and other Renaissance instruments. M.E.S.H. doesn’t constantly overwhelm the listener, leaving plenty of space to breathe and reflect.