Setting the tone with a cerebral bass frequency and sub-bass, mkDUBBY opens Coming Undone with subversion and the philosophical spoken word prose, “In my head a snapping wire, blue screen says no desire, coffee stain, rain falls like a distant train, I haven’t woken up yet, sorry… not yet…”
We appreciate the glitched vocal design and the melodic expansion of the soundscape with piano riffs, and a meditative synth juxtaposing the more visceral manifestation of the words. We connect with the relatable notions that come to life with what mkDUBBY is creating. It feels raw and authentic, tapping into the lived experience of many of us.
The way that the vocals pan is brilliant, and the orchestral notions that emerge with a poetic strings arrangement are sublime and cinematic. There is no doubt that Coming Undone would be perfect for a multitude of sync placements, perhaps a movie like Limitless or Trainspotting. A melodic bassline taps into our heart’s centre before a peaceful and emotional synth finale with the words, “apathy is a lullaby, a silent goodnight…”.
We learn that Coming Undone was recorded and produced at mkDUBBY‘s home-built Heritage Studios on Bidjigal Land (Eora Nation), which only adds to the authenticity of the track. The poetic narrative which explores the tension between structural decay, social isolation and personal liberation feels highly zeitgeist considering the state of society and the divine masculine on planet Earth at present.
It is no surprise that mkDUBBY is becoming known for his hybrid approach to electronic music which blends Eurorack modular systems, analog synths, drum machines, percussion, field recordings and live saxophone. Coming Undone follows the success of his Solumbra EP and 2024 single Nightlight. The rising artist cites Aphex Twin, John Coltrane, Bonobo, and Nala Sinephro as sonic influences which we can feel come to life, but there is no doubt that mkDUBBY is designing a universe unto his own.
The release is also accompanied by an innovative music video using live studio greenscreen and digital animation techniques to bring to life the narrative of the track. We have added Coming Undone to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of mkDUBBY, including Whisker Wobble, 777, and Tuesday.