In Decay, Too

by Com Truise

Overview

Before Seth Haley adopted the name Com Truise and joined the Ghostly International roster, he released music under other monikers including Sarin Sunday, Airliner, and Systm, often through netlabels or Myspace. 2012's In Decay collected nearly an hour's worth of early and unreleased material from Haley's archive, and its 2020 sequel, compiled with the help of superfan Polychora, does much the same. While Haley's work became more ambitious and technically stunning as his career progressed, he established his signature sound early on, making his catalog remarkably consistent. In Decay, Too delivers more or less what fans would expect, but it does show off his range a bit more than some of his other releases. Midtempo drum machine patterns and hazy synth melodies are standard elements of Haley's tracks, and while they're often laid-back and beach-worthy, his music is more intricate than it seems, and his busier, more involved tracks stand out. "Chemical Legs" (first released as part of the Adult Swim Singles Program in 2012) has more jittery synths and glorious panoramic drum fills, but the most surprising part is when clear vocals show up for a verse, after first appearing through vocoders. "Reciprocity" is a bit faster and more new wave-sounding than usual for Com Truise, and with more live-sounding drums; as a nice touch, it morphs into a slower, murkier beat for the last minute. "I Dream (For You)" is slower and initially sparser, with a sinister robot voice repeating the song's title, but it eventually gains trap-influenced drum programming and more vivid, exploratory synths. "Galactic Melt" (presumably an off-cut from the project's 2011 full-length debut) is more disorienting at first, beginning with a manic collage of bitcrushed glitches and a disembodied cry, but it soon settles into Haley's familiar slo-mo funk sound. "Peach (6809)" almost seems like Com Truise's version of rave music, with a fizzy bass line similar to early Prodigy but more mangled, and atmospheric synths that swirl around in a state of wonder. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	12/04/2020
Label:	Ghostly International
UPC:	0804297837215
Rank:	36457

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Com Truise   Primary Artist