Giant Claw’s Midnight Murder
(Orange Milk Recordings)
Midnight Murder
Saboteur of conventional rock ‘n’ roll and synthesizer wizard, Keith Rankin (of Dayton outfit Yakuza Heart Attack) is at it again – this time, reborn under the moniker Giant Claw. Rankin adopts a minimalist approach for the spectacular Giant Claw debut, Midnight Murder. An array of sequencing synthesizers and drum machines at his employ, the album masterfully flows through a series of dream-like soundscapes that recalls the menace of a lo-fi Kraftwerk at their darkest (which was almost all the time). Midnight Murder is a patchwork of anthemic joy and sadness; most of the soothing ambience will eventually give to a whirling dervish or flurry of notes and noises without disrupting the vibe or flow of each movement. While not a major departure from Rankin’s compositionally-based YHA output, fans of both 1970s fantasy soundtracks and new-age enthusiasts will likely find much to aurally masturbate to inside Midnight Murder. You can download Midnight Murder at www.giantclaw.bandcamp.com or order at www.orangemilkrecordings.blogspot.com.
– W. C. Ruffnel
