'I always had a connection to music that, if it was to be my own, it would have to be my own'
Words from the man himself. Call Super has always remained an intrigue to many music fans, particularly within the electronica world. A streak of originality stems through his work, alongside a relentless desire to explore and divulge, to discover and uncover within his own music. But to also evoke that feeling within the listener. His music has spread to many corners, initially via Houndstooth for his acclaimed debut LP 'Suzi Ecto', along with releases on Dekmantel and Hessle Audio. Being that this EP, under his alise Ondo Fudd, was released quick fire alongside his latest Call Super release 'All we have is Speed' (which will receive its own review in due course) show just how dedicated the man is to exploring the avenues of his mind. Even though Onda Fudd could have been released as Call Super, this represents another facet of his musical armour, a shining thudding triumph of an EP (at 42 minutes, its more like an LP) that glimmers through and warms us all up within seconds of the record starting.
Super's previous releases as Ondo Fudd have seen some interesting results. 'Coup D'etat', released in 2014, is an excursion into L.I.E.S and Lobster style hazy lofi yet hyper energised stylings, along with downtempo beats and deep acid stabs. His second, 'Blue Dot', was more akin to his Super releases, and was a touch more delicate than his first release as Fudd. Warm and simmering, this is a gorgeous ep full of mystique and intrigue. So, now we find ourselves with a new Ep to uncover as Mr Fudd.
The opener, the title track, is the initial warm dip in the pool. Small waves lap around your feet, in a hazy slow burner, with rich drums underlaying simmering synths and other worldly noises you can't quite put your finger on. Gracefully vibing, never staying still, the energy here is one of serenity, eyes closed and rolling to the back of your head. Not through euphoria, but an immersion, a desire to take the tracks hand and follow it on all sorts of journeys. A delightful series of synth lead lines layer in delicately, bring back and around to keep the listener on side. Up next comes the more energised 'Joyride to my inside'. Whilst many Italo inspired tunes that are released today sound a little bland, or lack a little bit of drive, or even the cheese of the original batch of 80s goodies, this tune does not disappoint. A kick drum is joined by swirling noises, sparse claps and cymbals, before the tempo goes up a notch, with a series of synth lines joining in. All three lines are expertly considered, light and melodic rather than dense and heavy, it is a breath of fresh air, and if one was to close their eyes, lasers just might appear. The song just keeps on chugging along, bringing us along for the ride. At nearly 7 minutes long, Mr Super does a fantastic job at retaining engagement, with the quirky sounds placed at all the right moments.
Up next comes 'Earth Queen Voice', a dubby number that snarls and hums along with a low lying level of intensity. This one is all about the rhythm, as a low grubby bass line kicks around underneath an ever changing array of claps, snares and cymbals. Ready to shake down any club it enters, this one is pure late night antics, demanding a shake of the shoulders and the hips. Super brings the energy down within interesting breaks, that is a hallmark of this release, that allows for the inter mingled elements time to breath and take their chance to be reintegrated. This tune is all about evolution, and is perhaps the most technically astounding track on the record. Up next comes 'The Mess', that is released as Call Super, rather than his alias. This feels like a edit or adjustment to the previous, so pending the full release and further info, this track might omitted from the review. Either way, its a banger!
To finish up, comes 'Fluenka's Song'. Chimey, euphoric, Balearic, this has Super written all over it. Beautiful deep pads groove around with a ever growing beat, but still the focus remains on the harmonies working on top. Then kicks in the drums, a slow and steady garage/dnb beat that takes nothing away from the show happening on top. The chords and synth lines are so mesmerising, building and dropping away, with some hallmark bleeps and bloops put in for good measure. It is a summery haze, green fields, from a car, urgency yet a need to rest. To reflect, to grow and relax. This tune is really quite something, and represents Super in all his many talents and musical facets extremely well. At 12 minutes long, you find yourself getting lost quite easily in this mystifying soundscape. Like much of the Regalbau outputs of late, it is about the sonic ness of the track, the textures, the relationship between beats and harmonies, that makes this track so special.
Call Super said it himself, he wants his tracks to sound like him, and not like any other. it is this attitude to production and writing that has made his sound so distinctive. The little pads, the atmospheric nature, the swirling, and the sometimes odd, that has contributed to a unique sound that is definitively Call Super. As Ondo Fudd, he explores the dance side of this attitude, that has yielded great results. A release full of late nights, dark rooms, hazy summer days sipping a cocktail, or just daydreaming in a car or sitting still in a garden in the south of France. A release to suit all moods and contexts, and one that will be playing pretty consistently this summer.
support the troops:
https://ondofudd.bandcamp.com/album/eyes-glide-through-the-oxide