Surgeon – Shell~Wave

Since at least 2024, by our estimation, shells have been enjoying something of an “it moment” in electronic music. Don’t ask us why. Perhaps the icky palps of nautiluses, or the helical segmentation of various fossils, would seem to predict the naturalisation of mechanical reproductions expressed in techno. Birmingham keystone Surgeon (Anthony Child) swoops in on the fervour, repurposing larked sonic opercula into filter-fed 4×4 Borg-anisms. But despite the implied theme, Child uses limited equipment – “For me, it’s an interesting experience returning to old techniques again after 30 years” – and refashions a classic live-show-style approach here. All eight tracks were done in a single take, and only ‘Dying’ upends beats, delivering a moribund, mantric sound piece.