- Joe Williams has always had his hand in a number of musical endeavors, from obscure glitch and noise projects as a kid to collaborating with Girl Talk's Gregg Gillis and Co La's Matt Papich. His biggest moment so far came in 2007, when he released his debut album as White Williams with Tigerbeat6. Smoke was a curveball of electronically produced rock, finding a psychedelic sweet spot between T. Rex, '80s David Bowie and the glittery electro pop prevalent at the time. It was also a one-off, as White Williams didn't release any more new material. Nearly ten years later and Williams has emerged with a new project exploring a new angle: Motion Graphics is pure digital bliss, with a rich musicality that betrays years of experience as a composer, performer and producer.
The self-titled debut Motion Graphics album has been announced for late-August release from Domino, and is preceded by this two-track Future Times 7-inch. Despite not featuring Williams' hushed voice, Brass Mechanics / Tarahumara is an intriguing, if fleeting, introduction to the world of Motion Graphics. Both tracks have an orchestral quality, as if multiple woodwind and percussion performances were culled, dismantled and rearranged over sparse ambience. Given the minimalism, organic source material and delicate repetition, Philip Glass is an easy reference here, which could very well stem from Williams' time spent composing for the documentary 12 O'Clock Boys. But what ultimately stands out is the sheer detail—the carefully layered instrumentation, the loose unfurling movements, the light sheen of silken reverb, the pristine yet natural textures. Williams weaves it all into an intangible cloud of sound that you can't help but want to touch.
TracklistA Brass Mechanic
B Tarahumara