Track City: Model 86’s “Friend”

Three minutes is not a lot of time for someone to explain themselves. If you had to describe your life, your likes and dislikes, education, etc. in a mere three minute timeframe, would you be able to do it? Not likely. Our worldly clocks continue to turn, making time seem infinitely faster as we grow older. You can think back to a memory from your childhood and think, “That seemed like just earlier this morning.” The truth is, we get so wrapped up in what we do that we often forget that time is passing us by. It’s a sneaky bastard and before you know it, your time is up. As David Gilmour critically croons on Pink Floyd’s “Time”, “And then one day you find ten years have got behind you. / No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun”.

MODEL 86, aka Matthew James Wilcock, is a Manchester-born producer who manages to embody himself in that short three minute timeframe I mentioned. His experimentalism is expressed through his intricate sounds and somehow crams an hour worth of material into a compact, easy to swallow dance hit. “Friend”, off MODEL 86’s upcoming Self Help Dance EP, puts the producer in a situation to command the over-crowded stage of today’s young producer protégés. The track opens with a pulsating drum loop and stuttering pitch-shifted chops to create a disarming introduction. It wastes no time with a build-up and dives headfirst into a stunning arrangement of glitchy trip-hop mixed with subtle electronic beats. “Friend” continues to slip-slide with non-stop entertainment that begs for more when its runtime finishes. In short, MODEL 86 explains who he is and what he is capable of in the time he is given. You can download the track below and immerse yourself in a trippy vortex.

Look for an interview with MODEL 86 out next week.

Self Help Dance EP is out 09/18.

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Jacob Crepeault

My name is Jacob Crepeault. I am a student at Carleton University with an extensive palette for all things music. Throw in some hip-hop, a dash of indie rock, a touch of experimental, and baby, you got a stew goin'. I am the eldest of 8 children which means chaos is my friend. In my spare time, I enjoy creating my own short films, dabbling in the art of remixing, and goofing around with friends. My main goal as a journalist is to enlighten avid music listeners about fresh and dynamic musicians.