Multifaceted exploration of genres and successful accessibility are a rare pairing. Pendulum threads the needle beautifully and face-crunchingly in their new single, “Silent Spinner“.
The listener is brought into the song with the pure drama of an old western. A lone trumpet sings over strings, organs, and percussion to set the scene. Expectations are subverted after a moment of silence leads to a sparse electronic beat.
In comes the vocalist, adding to the drama by opening with the line, “I hope you’re sitting down”. This serves its purpose to build anticipation. More and more elements are added, included distorted guitars playing over a classic synthwave bass. 4 on the floor kicks drive this song forward into an explosion of a chorus.
I hesitate to say chorus, because the main payoff of all the tension building is a deliciously grating wall of synths and explosive drums. However, there is a vocal motif that repeats and sticks in the head of the listener.
All in all, “Silent Spinner” is an electronic, apocalyptic, playground that Pendulum so kindly invites you into. Give it a not-so-silent spin!
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