Techno is often marked by its cold austerity and, initially, “Silicon Lifespan,” the new single from VLSC Records co-founder Dylan Banks, a.k.a. Dee Belvedere, fits that mold. On a purely visceral level, it feels something akin to a panic attack. Setting robotic thunks and staticky samples against a punishing beat, the track is claustrophobic and unyielding. But spend some time examining its steely expanse and you’ll see torrents of warm blood racing to the surface. It all comes to a head midway through when the ironbound groove splinters into a frantic breakbeat. Suddenly there is light, there is relief—even if it seems like things might spiral out of control. In anthropomorphic terms, it’s a chest gasping for air, a thousand lived moments hurtling forward in simultaneous recall.
If you are in need of some context, look no further than the artist statement posted to VLSC’s Bandcamp: “This track is dedicated to anyone thats lost a loved one, and remembering that living with them influencing your everyday life, and living with love and their memory is what keeps them alive in your core.” So then, amidst the track’s industrial tumult there is pain and loss, gratitude and acceptance. “Silicon Lifespan” encompasses far more than those dualities, though; it’s also an embrace of life’s volatility and the work we must engage in to retain what’s sacred to us.
The single’s B-side is a remix courtesy of Atlanta producer twofold that leans further into the combustible energy of the song’s latter half. Overall, it’s more cluttered and chaotic without sacrificing any of the original’s emotional intensity. The effect is less ying-yang than it is a form of escalation. After all, what better way to embrace volatility than to throw all caution to the wind?
Listen below.
More Info
Bandcamp: deebelvedere.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @deebelvedere
Instagram: @hooch_boi_steez