about the record

Church Andrews and Matt Davies weave intricate patterns from Fibonacci sequences on the mini-album Yucca.

Producer and composer Church Andrews, also known as Kirk Barley, and drummer Matt Davies return to explore the outer limits of rhythm on a six-track suite that is at once angular and fluid, natural and systematic. Drawn to the restrictions of working solely with one synth and live drums, the pair find creativity in limitation, developing a compositional dialogue between the sonic timbres of Andrews’ productions and Davies’ percussive practice.

Evoking the primitive yet complex form of the plant from which it takes its name, Yucca features tracks built around rhythmic ratios derived from the Fibonacci sequence. Mirroring spiral patterns found in nature, each piece evolves like a cellular structure of its own, from the livewire syntax of “Chirp” and the deconstructed ebb and flow of “Ferns,” to the mini-album’s title track, where crisp grooves flit between modulated electronics like fireflies.

“I’ve always been inspired by music that is complex without sounding complex,” Davies explains. He maintains a sense of bounce amid intricate phrasing and cites drummers Roy Haynes and his grandson Marcus Gilmore as inspirations, alongside sabar drummers from Senegal and mridangam traditions from South India.

With a shared background in hip-hop and the swung beats of J Dilla and Flying Lotus, Andrews and Davies also draw inspiration from the minimalism of Terry Riley and the sparse palette of dub techno.

Written and recorded in Lewisham in the spring and summer of 2023, Yucca follows the release of Axis in 2022. The duo have also performed at festivals such as Rewire and Waking Life, and recorded live sessions for FACT magazine and Worldwide FM.

The third release on Yorkshire-based Odda Recordings, following Kirk Barley’s Marionette and Flaer’s Preludes, Yucca further affirms the label’s focus on music that exists on unstable ground between the organic and the synthetic.