Album Review: Andi Jackson - Sub Horror

Jazz, rock and noise all come together to make Andi Jackson’s very special new album Sub Horror one of the most cinematic listening experiences of 2021. This LP manages to take you on the most chaotic 35 minutes of your life, whilst remaining cohesive and having a continuous flow that’s easy to follow throughout.

Andi refuses to let himself be restricted by one specific genre or sound and instead opts for a variety, blending different styles into one another and creating a soundscape unlike anything we’ve heard this year. For such a complex album to come from such an indie artist is insane and the potential for Andi to continue to develop as an artist, dabbling in production, scores and more LP’s like this, is something you can’t help but get excited over.

From the word go Sub Horror is an album that you hear and recognise as significant. The intro track ‘Can’t Recall the Last Time You Drove Your Car’ starts off with occasional drumsticks clicking over an organ sound and droning synth effects that act as an overture of sorts. Once the vocals come in and the track gradually builds, the album gently eases you into a false sense of security for what is about to come, which is a blend on Ornette Coleman, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

Making something that comes across as experimental and chaotic can be a risky move as what a lot of artists can end up doing is making something inaccessible. Granted, this is a lot of people’s goal, especially when you dive into the origins of harsh noise and free jazz; however, as music develops so does peoples taste in it, meaning these previous genres which were designed to be inaccessible are now being used to convey emotion in the most intricate ways, and this can be difficult for artists to pull off.

He manages to make an album that you recognise as something experimental and chaotic, whilst remaining incredibly accessible to the listener. We don’t have a bad word to say about this LP and couldn’t recommend it enough. So, before you do anything else, put your headphones in, press play, and hang on for dear life.

Words: Dale Maplethorpe