<p>- The impact of a serious injury can have a profound influence on musicians. For many independent artists, injuries have led to preemptive career endings. In the case of Vancouver based post-punk musician Bryce Cloghesy however, a life-threatening tear of his brachial nerve led to a process of deep self-reflection and the eventual creation of his solo avant-garde project, Military Genius. Now Military Genius has unveiled a debut record Deep Web, out now via Unheard of Hope.</p>
<p>Self-evaluation is a recurring theme that pulses through the record, striking in varying degrees of subtlety to match the experimental pace of Deep Web. Where most of the record sits in a sparse, lo-fi buzz that’s reminiscent of Carla del Forno’s Look up Sharp, there’s a sense of urgency conveyed through unexpected instrumentation that propels the record forward. It’s this drive and desire to transform that causes Deep Web to shift at a transforming pace, constantly making you question the direction it’ll go next.</p>
<p>Take album opener and titular track, Deep Web for example. Beginning with static and saxophone - courtesy of Mike Heinermann - it’s not long before vocals mould the track, pushing it forward, through disorienting distortion that forms an oppressive wall of noise. The fusion of jazz and industrial influences strike out as uncanny yet, gorgeously enthralling and prove to be quite irresistible in their fleeting dissipation. Deep Web unexpectedly cuts back into ambience as the record moves forward.</p>
<p>Other tracks capture this same energy with ease. Focus presents melodies distorted and seemingly out of arrangement, while soft vocals float through the track in a breeze that brings back memories of King Krule’s The Ooz, yet there’s more space to experiment here. The Runner brings back the saxophone, albeit in contrast to the rolling bass that acts as a soundscape.</p>
<p>In moments, Deep Web features pulsing rave beats, particularly the number When I Close My Eyes. This track features distorted, echoing vocals that flux between chopped up samples and oppressive direct lines. It’s an unexpectedly energetic song, but one that does not lose sight of the rich instrumentation that fades in and out. When I Close My Eyes culminates in a grand, yet unique surge of instrumentation that soon dissipates into ambience.<br />
Through all of the experimentation that occurs within Deep Web, Military Genius has a tight grasp on his vision, such that the record withstands such vivid sonic changes. Through a need to experiment and explore his musical inhibitions, Bryce Cloghesy has created something great. Deep Web is a bold and cohesive record that captures an expression of the human experience with intimate delicacy and profound nuance.</p>
<p>- Sean Tayler.</p>
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3815879491/size=large/bgcol=f…; seamless><a href="http://militarygenius.bandcamp.com/album/deep-web">Deep Web by Military Genius</a></iframe>