Ahead of his main act at Bristol’s Simple Things, Clash speaks with the elusive Warp alum about his upcoming live plans and the release of his new album ‘Steep Stims‘…
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For over twenty years, Chris Clark has been creating unique musical landscapes. From the chaotic glitchiness of his debut, Clarence Park, to the peculiar experimental sound of Body Riddle and the relatively lighter, yet intriguingly titled Death Peak, Clark's work has consistently navigated the space between the mechanical and the human.
With ‘Steep Stims’ set to be released shortly through his own Throttle label—where he has been since parting ways with Warp Records after 2019's Kiri Variations—the Hertfordshire-born producer continues to expand on concepts he has been developing since the mid-2010s. This release comes just before his performance at Simple Things in Bristol, his former university town. He has returned numerous times since, but it feels like a significant homecoming.
“About 25 years ago, I remember performing at the Cube Cinema there, just using mini-discs,” he reflects, clearly amused by the notion now. “A live set on mini-discs. I think that was the last time I did that.”
Now, he will have already completed five shows by the time he returns, which he eagerly anticipates. “It’s a good time because you’ve had four gigs already and you’re more settled into the vibe.”
This ease seems well-deserved. Following his instincts rather than elaborate plans, Steep Stims captures the energetic essence of Clark’s live performances while brimming with personality, synth magic, and his flair for melody. There’s also a quirky oddness lurking beneath the dancefloor, with the two realms complementing each other beautifully. He isn’t particularly worried about how his soundscapes could be interpreted live, however.
“I don’t think much is deliberate when I create music,” he reflects. “I’m not trying to sound evasive, but that’s just not my mindset. The initial phase of writing—the juicy part—is where nothing is filtered and the possibilities are limitless. You simply have to be open to everything… But as you develop albums, you begin to think, ‘Yeah, this could work really well live.’”
While his recent works have explored blended textures and rich vocal segments, with 2023’s ‘Sus Dog’ featuring Thom Yorke, Steep Stims sees Clark operating within self-imposed constraints, utilizing old equipment such as the Access Virus synth.
“There’s a preset called ‘Dissonia’ on it,” he excitedly mentions. “There’s an old Ed Rush and Optical track called Cutslo. If it's not using that preset, I’d be surprised. I modified it slightly, ran it through a mixer with guitar pedals, and mixed it. The output has a crunchy, soft quality.”
This may not seem like the most likely source of inspiration for Clark.
“Trance is probably my least favorite style of electronic music, yet I keep finding these trance patches that I actually enjoy,” he continues. “It’s just a fantastic machine. It can be quite fiddly and frustrating to use—it often clips and distorts—but when you create something with it, it feels well-earned.”
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Clark regards Steep Stims as a continuation, aligning it with 2014’s self-titled album and Death Peak, connected by musical palette and tone.
“This album feels… do I want to say traditional?” He pauses to weigh his words. “It feels pretty orthodox since it shares a similar palette and references the Clark album. I felt like I was almost trying to recreate that album, but it serves as a continuation. That’s the challenge I felt – alongside Death Peak. In a way, those three albums form a kind of triptych.”
As always, Clark’s interest in imperfection and limitations extends to his live performances—something that should excite the crowd at Simple Things.
“About two weeks before a performance, I start feeling it,” he observes. “I work frantically on new versions of tracks and piece things together. Ideas I had forgotten about resurface… Things you forget aren’t necessarily the worst aspects of your work. Often, in your creativity, something you previously overlooked can turn out to be significantly better.”
This tends to occur frequently during live shows. “It’s quite terrifying.”
Whether in a live setting or the studio, it’s evident that friction is a crucial source of creativity for Clark. His pieces often have a roughness rather than being overly polished, characterized by textures arising from experimentation, technical mishaps, and the spontaneity of human error.
“That shows me that much of what I produce isn’t created with self-consciousness,” he notes. “The best works aren’t self-aware. It’s impossible to have that mindset in the studio while second-guessing what listeners might prefer.”
Regardless, there’s no denying that his music has found an audience consistently
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Before their headline performance at Bristol's Simple Things, Clash sits down with the mysterious Warp alumnus to discuss upcoming live shows and their new album 'Steep.'