In Short Order: Daniel Jones recommends Inga Copeland’s <i>Don’t Look Back, That’s Not Where You’re Going</i> EP
in-short-order-daniel-jones-recommends-inga-copelands-dont-look-back-thats-not-where-youre-going-ep
March 07, 2013
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# In Short Order: Daniel Jones recommends Inga Copeland’s Don’t Look Back, That’s Not Where You’re Going EP
When [**Hype Williams**][1] first emerged around 2009, it was in a
sludgy, tangled mass of lo-fidelity and submerged vocals---a melding of
dub, disjointed hip-hop and industrial experimentalism that almost
seemed to defy the idea of genre as much as it did actual music. Since
then the duo of **Dean Blunt** and **Inga Copeland **have wandered
through various aspects of sound with variable aspects of listenability,
but it's their individual efforts that I've found the most rewarding. If
the *Don't Look Back, That's Not Where You're Going* teaser EP is any
indication, Copeland's debut solo LP could be her strongest work to
date.
"So Far So Clean" is built on a bubbling, farting cauldron of synths
with Incantatrix Inga looming over all before sweeping down on a rising
wail of chants and percussion at the track's halfway point. It's easily
the most 'expected' of the tracks, echoing early experiments and making
for an almost soothing (if such a word can be applied here) opener---you
think you know what you're in for, which makes the lead-in
track "Speak" so surprising. Allegedly produced by **[Scratcha DVA][2]{:
target="_blank"}**,** **it's a shockingly straightforward and dancey cut
with a shimmering, reversed beat; if I didn't know otherwise, I'd think
it was a **Nite Jewel** B-side. It doesn't quite work to Copeland's
strengths, and I'm not even sure I actually *like* it, but it's a
curious and interesting experiment in a non-experimental format
nonetheless.
The slinky tribal percussion that kicks off "A&E" (this one
*definitely* produced by **[Martyn][3]{: target="_blank"}**)
counterpoints Copeland's sensually scratchy vocals nicely, and I'm
reminded what a pleasure it is to really *hear* her. Too often, lo-fi
production is used as a flimsy Walmart mask to hide low talent: a
cop-out Hype Williams have been accused of, but that's not the case
here. "A&E" especially puts the evidence in hand (and ear) that this
is a unique and captivating voice. There's something of trip-hop's
spacey, laid-back and morose sexuality here as well, which was
unexpected but somehow fitting with Copeland's style. I'd be curious to
see how such a thing might drip into the mainline consciousness; we've
reformatted and reconceptualized so many other genres, after all.
Despite its B-side status, this one is A-grade material, balancing
between the extremes of the previous tracks to find the perfect medium
of luscious beauty with hints of tripped-out weirdness. Because this EP
exists mainly as a teaser for the full-length, I'm looking forward to
see how that balance is maintained in a longer format. Whatever the
case, I doubt I'll be bored.
The Don't Look Back, That's Not Where You're Going EP is out
now via Copeland and Blunt's **World Music** imprint.
[1]: http://www.electronicbeats.net/artist/hype-williams/
[2]: http://soundcloud.com/scratchadva
[3]: https://www.facebook.com/3024world
---
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title: 'In Short Order: Daniel Jones recommends Inga Copeland’s <i>Don’t Look Back, That’s Not Where You’re Going</i> EP'
date: 2013-03-08T00:01:44+01:00
wp_id: '44226'
slug: in-short-order-daniel-jones-recommends-inga-copelands-dont-look-back-thats-not-where-youre-going-ep
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contents:
-
type: text
text: '<p>When <a href="http://www.electronicbeats.net/artist/hype-williams/"><strong>Hype Williams</strong></a> first emerged around 2009, it was in a sludgy, tangled mass of lo-fidelity and submerged vocals—a melding of dub, disjointed hip-hop and industrial experimentalism that almost seemed to defy the idea of genre as much as it did actual music. Since then the duo of <strong>Dean Blunt</strong> and <strong>Inga Copeland </strong>have wandered through various aspects of sound with variable aspects of listenability, but it’s their individual efforts that I’ve found the most rewarding. If the <em>Don’t Look Back, That’s Not Where You’re Going</em> teaser EP is any indication, Copeland’s debut solo LP could be her strongest work to date.</p><p>“So Far So Clean” is built on a bubbling, farting cauldron of synths with Incantatrix Inga looming over all before sweeping down on a rising wail of chants and percussion at the track’s halfway point. It’s easily the most ‘expected’ of the tracks, echoing early experiments and making for an almost soothing (if such a word can be applied here) opener—you think you know what you’re in for, which makes the lead-in track “Speak” so surprising. Allegedly produced by <strong><a href="http://soundcloud.com/scratchadva" target="_blank">Scratcha DVA</a></strong>,<strong> </strong>it’s a shockingly straightforward and dancey cut with a shimmering, reversed beat; if I didn’t know otherwise, I’d think it was a <strong>Nite Jewel</strong> B-side. It doesn’t quite work to Copeland’s strengths, and I’m not even sure I actually <em>like</em> it, but it’s a curious and interesting experiment in a non-experimental format nonetheless.</p><p>The slinky tribal percussion that kicks off “A&E” (this one <em>definitely</em> produced by <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/3024world" target="_blank">Martyn</a></strong>) counterpoints Copeland’s sensually scratchy vocals nicely, and I’m reminded what a pleasure it is to really <em>hear</em> her. Too often, lo-fi production is used as a flimsy Walmart mask to hide low talent: a cop-out Hype Williams have been accused of, but that’s not the case here. “A&E” especially puts the evidence in hand (and ear) that this is a unique and captivating voice. There’s something of trip-hop’s spacey, laid-back and morose sexuality here as well, which was unexpected but somehow fitting with Copeland’s style. I’d be curious to see how such a thing might drip into the mainline consciousness; we’ve reformatted and reconceptualized so many other genres, after all. Despite its B-side status, this one is A-grade material, balancing between the extremes of the previous tracks to find the perfect medium of luscious beauty with hints of tripped-out weirdness. Because this EP exists mainly as a teaser for the full-length, I’m looking forward to see how that balance is maintained in a longer format. Whatever the case, I doubt I’ll be bored.</p><p>The<em> Don’t Look Back, That’s Not Where You’re Going </em>EP is out now via Copeland and Blunt’s <strong>World Music</strong> imprint.</p>'
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Chunk #1 (Position: 0)
# In Short Order: Daniel Jones recommends Inga Copeland’s Don’t Look Back, That’s Not Where You’re Going EP When [**Hype Williams**][1] first emerged around 2009, it was in a sludgy, tangled mass of lo-fidelity and submerged vocals---a melding of dub, disjointed hip-hop and industrial experiment...
Chunk #2 (Position: 1)
Since then the duo of **Dean Blunt** and **Inga Copeland **have wandered through various aspects of sound with variable aspects of listenability, but it's their individual efforts that I've found the most rewarding. If the *Don't Look Back, That's Not Where You're Going* teaser EP ...
Chunk #3 (Position: 2)
It's easily the most 'expected' of the tracks, echoing early experiments and making for an almost soothing (if such a word can be applied here) opener---you think you know what you're in for, which makes the lead-in track "Speak" so surprising. Allegedly produced by **[Scratch...
Chunk #4 (Position: 3)
Because this EP exists mainly as a teaser for the full-length, I'm looking forward to see how that balance is maintained in a longer format. Whatever the case, I doubt I'll be bored. The Don't Look Back, That's Not Where You're Going EP is out now via Copeland and Blunt's **World Music** imprint....