Arkle has recently put out ‘Don’t Speak’ which is a fusion of a variety of genres that he enjoys – club culture, jazz, ambient, glitch and drum-&-bass. This is Arkle’s first featured vocal record and it takes a lot of from 90’s trip-hop which is a genre of music characterized by unhurried beats and electronic pulse. As influenced by Lamb and Four Tet, “Don’t Speak” combines samples and training tracks, enchants with the shimmering beat and places the listeners into a shadowy fairytale.
This song is about two things; the death of a cherished relationship and a sort of love lost. Arkle interested in it himself, and here he once again proved that he is versatile not only as a musician but also as a producer. This release is a big leap in the career of this musician. The track begins with synthetic and almost environmental types of sound washes. Soft and out of tune percussion and melodic synthesis sound delivers a sense of the fairy, concentration. It feature computer enhanced female voice humming over moderate beats, synth of some kind and beautiful piano notes that provide a very lucid yet dream like material.
What makes ‘Don’t Speak’ stand out is that while it has calmer and darker settings, it maintains a pulse, infusing soul and R&B into the mix as well as maintaining a pulse into the track as Arkle proceeds to blend different together to make a track that is heartfelt as it is exciting. Though, his blend of sounds allows the spectators to touch with their emotion of love and grief. From gentle rhythms to an emphasis on melodies, “Don’t Speak” captures the wonderful feeling of melancholia for those fans of deep tunes. Every listen unveils new elements all together making it a unique experience.