by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Nine years have passed since Richard Fearless released a Death In Vegas album. That’s an awful lot of life – and a good deal of it has been packed into the nine tracks making up Death Mask.

For it is an autobiographical album, with explicit references to his nearest and dearest, yet all the while staying true to its musical function, ranging from drones to danceable beats. Fearless was keen to leave his output unpolished, a refreshing approach for an electronic music producer – so that means ‘dirty circuitry and rough-hewn textures at the fore’. These are helped by the inclusion of natural feedback and white noise from his Thameside Metal Box studio, a musical instrument every bit as important as the keyboards and electronics that output the music.

What’s the music like?

Very dark…and yet, ultimately, empowering.

As its title implies, Death Mask isn’t an album to shy away from thoughts about the end of life – but nor is it going to sit there and mope. For when Fearless drops some of the massive beats here there is a barely restrained euphoria that kicks in, a feeling that we’re dancing for our very existence.

That certainly happens on the epic Roseville, which goes for broke, but also on the warmer Your Love. Hazel is a multilayered track, a whirlwind rhythm section contrasted by a fuzzy drone, an uncannily effective portrayal of the emotions at play in the funeral of a close friend – in this case, Richard’s own father.

The studio makes its presence felt in the remarkable While My Machines Gently Weep, the rhythm section positively primal and the distortion turned up to the max.

Influences on Fearless’s work here range far and wide, with healthy nods to dub and techno. He credits Ramleh, Terrence Dixon, Jamal Moss, Mika Vanio and TM 404 explicitly as inspirations – though a name not mentioned but surely in his mind is that of Andrew Weatherall.

Does it all work?

It does – though Death Mask is certainly not for every mood. It’s a heavy-set album at times, but for every bit of darkness there are shards of dazzling light.

Is it recommended?

It certainly is. Richard Fearless has taken Death In Vegas on quite the journey since it began in the mid-90s, but this is arguably the album that has the greatest substance. Power and grace, rolled into one.

For fans of… Andrew Weatherall, Trentemøller, Luke Slater, Black Dog, Cabaret Voltaire

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,568 – Thursday 19 June 2025