Marmaduke Duke : 'Silhouettes'
Released: 6th July 2009
Label: 14th Floor Records
Since receiving Marmaduke Duke's new single 'Silhouettes' I have visibly aged. I've had it a week now but since then I have developed deep wrinkles on my forehead, grey hairs and started reading the Daily Mail. It's all down to stress you see; I still can't work out whether I think it's not bad or truly fucking awful. So there you go. Review done. Explain myself? Oh, alright then.
Why is this such a Jekyll and Hyde single? Well it all comes down to the backing track, a no-holds barred, full pelt electro/techno mash up, courtesy of producer Jacknife Lee's remixing antics. By no means a bad thing, except in this case when it has not been done particularly well. Mixing a Happy Hardcore speed and staccato beats with a serious techno sound and the broad and deliberate step movement of house in the chorus is not a pleasing combination. The overall sound is like playing a Mega Drive game while on a cocktail of speed an acid which, as we all know, can lead to years of painting yourself blue and running about trying to steal rings and jumping on TVs. But on the not bad side of the argument slip it into a pre-clubbing playlist and no-one is likely to raise much of an eyebrow. All except dance purists though, as it contains far too many of what phat beats and pills have now made irrelevant, lyrics. A whole song's worth in fact.
The song part is similar mix of OK and reaching for the cyanide. The melody and tone is a Bloc Party photocopy, pleasing in itself but just makes you wish you were listening to the originals instead. The chorus itself is rather catchy and worth a bellow after a few pints of snakebite. It's the actual lyrics that caused me to want to punch my iPod. The whole lyrical theme is based on a guy who doesn't care about anyone or anything except his girl. So far, so off-white inoffensive. But add a bit off cod-punk philosophy and it's all gone a repulsive shade of verbal diarrhoea. "I don't care about people/Take that thought and make it illegal/I've had enough, we're equal". The first time I heard those lyrics I cringed in the same manner you do if you're ever unfortunate enough to here your parents rutting.
So there you have it. On in the background in the right situation and it's not too bad. Plus it's certainly a concerted effort to create something that sounds fresh and unusual. An intensive listening session with just you and your hangover however an you're likely to be found under the kitchen table, rocking back and forth and weeping. Give it a try though, it might just work for you. I'm giving it a miss though, can't afford all the Botox.
Words: Harvey Ovenden
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