Disclosure, or brotherly duo Guy and Howard Lawrence, are a recent addition to the thriving UK electronic scene. While only one of the two is of legal drinking age (actually a fact), their music stands alongside, and maybe even exceeds, contemporaries SBTRKT and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs as some of the best British electronica of recent years. Disclosure are not exactly breaking boundaries like their more experimental British peers – Four Tet, James Blake and Burial come to mind – but their use of ordinary electronic tactics presents unparalleled grace and consistency.
The latest single, “White Noise,” is a logical and enjoyable continuation of Disclosure’s sound. The track wields one of the instrumental duo’s most valuable tools: a guest vocalist. In this case, the rising British singer Aluna Francis of AlunaGeorge, who like Disclosure has yet to release an LP, takes lead. AlunaGeorge’s accessible pop aesthetic complements Disclosure’s dancey tendencies for a remarkable result. “White Noise” works well because of its patience; the track starts with a minimal, bass-free blend of Francis’s smoky vocals and Disclosure’s synths. After a minute or so, bits of bass appear but they’re fleeting. Around two minutes in, grand sweeps of bass heavy synths enter and the track really starts moving. The song may be six minutes long, but never once does it feel stale. Disclosure allow their songs to breathe, and in the process make them much more rewarding than many kindred tracks. It’s this impeccable sense of timing and patience that makes Disclosure songs so cool, and “White Noise” certainly is no exception.