Orkle - “7 mile step” + 5 More Songs! (Song Review)

As a musician, composer and producer, Orkle is (at least to me) a bit of an enigma. Granted, I’m familiar with some of their music, having previously reviewed works such as “Stellar Express” and “Iron Grave” - but the truth is, I never know what to expect. Those prior tracks were long-form compositions, practically musical adventures, full of twists and turns.

With that said, and in all honesty, it’s some of the most unique electronic music that I’ve reviewed - I dig it - and after listening through each of the six tracks below, I can say that there’s a lot of positives to appreciate. It’s worth noting that they’re all instrumentals and (in my humble opinion) thoroughly worth your time.

Track 1: “7 mile step”

This first outing begins with distorted, glitchy drum textures that move toward an increasingly intense-sounding digital aesthetic. There’s both 4/4 and 7/8 time-signatures present here, making this synth-heavy romp a bit more spicy than my usual - but I appreciate the creativity, as it makes things a bit more intriguing and unpredictable. The main motif is alluring, and there’s modulations of the core arpeggios that eventually feel comfortable and niche well alongside the supportive pads. I also appreciate the half-time shift in the 3rd quarter, retaining the 7/4 signature alongside a grinding bassline, intoxicating acid sequencers and a melodic/harmonic minor lead motif that leaves you wondering “what step are we going to take next?”

Track 2: “Release the Chrome Hound”

There’s an inherent urgency to the hardstyle percussive grooves, the squeaky lead synth and the unrelenting back-and-forth within the bassline. It’s a stellar track, not least because of the slick snare transitions and the ability to both make catchy (instrumental) hook lines and then manipulate them through different root notes, in whatever direction we please. To be fair, it isn’t a gentle piece - there’s a similar grittiness to “7 mile step” - and if you’re wanting cleaner timbres, this might not be the playlist for you. However, if you’re okay with a bit of edginess and live for the quarter note accents and the beeping-awesome ambience, this’ll be for you!

Track 3: “Witness in the Clouds”

Having the rain foley in the intro for this piece was a smart move - it creates an instant connection with the title. The rest of the first section sounds like a funeral march (with organs(?) included!). It’s far more gentle than the previous two songs, but retains a tonal consistency, and it’s great to know that we can connect these pieces together, regardless of the changes in style or intent. The minor focus within the keys, the interlacing and call-and-responses between layers, and the occasional harsh chromatic within this song infer a sense of loss, and do so without uttering a single word. It’s a really well-developed tune.

Track 4: “Comet Crawler”

This song, in particular, I feel, is really well structured and phrased. A significant part of it is in 9/8, which is a unique way of approaching this style of music - and at this stage in this review, the gradual developments of the instrumental layers and the thumping bass lines are starting to feel like home. There’s occasional saw-ish, brittle murmurs that come in from the side, but they oscillate and seem deliberate. This kind of soundtrack suits video games and the like - you could imagine it in some 90’s PS1 classics. The fade-out at the end is a classy way to end things, especially as the main theme resolves itself neatly in many places throughout.

Track 5: “Akithra, the Extraterrestrial Construct”

There’s an ominous aura to this one - it’s got an almost vintage tone to it, but the double-kicks come in and it also seems like “electro-metal”, the midi-metallic kinda tones in the same old-school games that I mentioned in the previous section. The fact that it sounds so good is gratifying - its full commitment to that direction almost makes it cooler than if they tried to record the drums with an acoustic kit to make it seem more “real”. There's a lot of range with the various melodies, and we never sit on an idea for too long or allow it to lose its sheen. The alien, otherworldly additions near to the breakdown at the end create yet another angle of mystery, in a track that really just owns its identity and is ultimately heavy as hell.

Track 6: “John the Sentient Disco Ball”

This song, to be fair, does epitomize disco, to an extent where it is probably the most danceable of the tunes within this set. There’s trade-offs between key mid-range voices on either side of the stereo field, before joining together and replicating what I imagine to be two people dancing together. It’s a groovy track, and it shows that we’re more than capable of making more experimental tracks, while keeping other concepts more consistent and palatable for those wanting an extended alternative. It’s got an impressive late section that really commits to the quarter-note groove, the earlier layers return, and (not least) an impressively relentless bassline that grinds at you until you give into it. Nothing needs to be changed about this one - it’s invigorating!

OVERALL CONCLUSION

Orkle has successfully written 5 short-form tracks, in addition to “John the Sentient Disco Ball” which comes up to a more familiar 6 minutes in length. These instrumental tunes tick off all the boxes in terms of functional composition, interesting main motifs, groovy percussive elements, fascinating development in regards to instrument layering, wonderful amalgamations of foley and synthetic performances, and - last, but not least - incredibly competent studio production, which captures both the gritty distorted, glitchy tonality of a lot of darker-sound compositions, while retaining the capacity for leveling, EQing, filtering and effectively producing in a way that makes it accessible for those wanting a less challenging listening experience. 

TL;DR: They’ve got the best of both worlds.

A question I ask myself in these situations is “would there have been any gains from featuring singers, rappers, literally any kind of vocals in these tunes? - And to that, I say, no. No, these songs are totally fine without that extra bit of assistance. When there’s less hand-holding, it encourages people to try and imagine what it’s about, on their own, and to fill the gaps in an environment where it’s both low-stakes and (ultimately) enjoyable. 

Orkle’s development as a musician, composer and producer is tangible, and it makes me happy to know that we’ve managed to capture the magic of previous works, within shorter form-factors that are more bite-sized (and potentially more accessible to audiences who might be intimidated by a longer mix). It’ll be cool to hear what happens next.

SOCIAL LINKS:
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@orkle4887