Outputmessage – Nebulae

Outputmessage may already be known to you thanks to his previous work on the Ghostly label. The tracks Bernard’s Song and Sommeil formed arguably the brightest moments on the Idol Tryouts 1 & 2 compilations respecitively. And his remix of Dabrye’s Hyped-Up Plus Tax (2003) has become semi-legendary via turntables this and that side of the Atlantic.

We could be wrong, but the world might not be ready for this. While the pop kids are going indie and the rockers are trying to dance, listening to Outputmessage is something entirely in a league of its own. But, like rediscovering a lost love of old skool Detroit house, the last thing you’d expect is for it to come from a 22-year old Virginia based grad-student.

Like classic Kraftwerk, New Order, or Aphex Twin, each track is hypnotic yet seems danceable before melting into a sonic oblivion. Explains Bernard, ‘I love to dance so I like the melody to be prominent… its one of those things that connects all human beings regardless of genre-listening preferences.

It’s true, take Bernard’s Song. We don’t know if it’s a self-titled reflection or ode to film score composer Bernard Hermann but with its lightly orchestrated drum n bass, subtle techno sound and clicky beats, the melody couldn’t be more prominent. No surprise then that there’s a desire to follow in Hermann’s footsteps. ‘He’s my inspiration for making film soundtracks which I hope to do someday… a Sci-Fi film, something like Solaris or 2001:A Space Odyssey… those films naturally lend themselves to electronic elements.’

Take Sommeil that nearly didn’t make the final cut. (‘I thought it was too simple and not going anywhere but now I’m glad I recorded it, its one of my favourite tracks on the album and could have been lost’). Together they all create an atmospheric arrangement that sounds almost scientific; it’d be impossible to believe that it couldn’t be further from the truth.

And it shows. Running throughout this album is a spontaneous purity that is usually hard to find but makes good electronic music exactly that. It would seem Outputmessage is more composer and producer than musician.

Bernard may be young but has had more musical tastes than a DJs record box and from dancing when he was a kid'(splits and crazy stuff’) to mum’s RnB, soul, pop and disco records, through the Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails college years to electronic, minimalist and jazz composers, each aspect has fused together creating a helluva message.

‘The idea behind Outputmessage is projecting a message to the listener. It could be an emotion, colour, place etc. but every song has meaning to me so the message I’m outputting is a piece of myself”

A message you can work to, chill out to, and most importantly dance to – it’s what the world needs. We were wrong. The time for Outputmessage is now.