Dublin-based project The Null Club returns with its newest single, “Overgrown,” a shadowy, propulsive collaboration with New York experimentalist Miss Grit. Helmed by Gilla Band guitarist Alan Duggan-Borges, The Null Club builds on years spent crafting abrasive, club-leaning electronics, pulling from noise, techno, experimental hip-hop and post-punk while fusing old synths, drum machines and jagged guitar textures into something unmistakably its own.
“Overgrown” marks one of Duggan-Borges’ most techno-forward releases yet, driven by punishing low-end and a cavernous 909 pulse. The track is self-released on a limited run of just 100 12-inch records via the label run by Alan and his wife. Mixed by Daniel Fox (Gilla Band) and mastered by Jamie Hyland (M(h)aol), the instrumental was written, performed and recorded entirely by Duggan-Borges in his Dublin rehearsal studio.
Alan explains:
“The hypnotic but kind of punishing nature of a 909 kick drum is something I’ve always searched for in music. When I first got a 909 drum machine and heard how full the kick drum could be by itself, I got lost in that specific low end for a good few weeks. The studio where I write has some big big subs, so I would sit there for hours chasing the full sound of those drums. That was the starting point of this track.
When I had a rough pass of the instrumental done, Miss Grit added vocals and life to the track. The whole thing came together quite naturally and the vocals added so much feel and texture to the track.”
Miss Grit adds:
“I’ve been a fan of Alan’s work for a while now so I was honestly shocked he wanted to work with me. When he sent over the track I was obsessed, but also intimidated because it was so good and I didn’t know how I was gonna make it sound any better than it already was. I ended up writing lyrics about that basically – the overthinking and self-consciousness that often gets stirred up in myself when collaborating. I was so happy hearing the final version. Alan made me sound so much better than I thought I did.”
“Overgrown” follows The Null Club’s debut EP released earlier this year, which featured Faris Badwan (The Horrors), Valentine Caulfield (Mandy, Indiana) and ELUCID (Armand Hammer), earning praise from Pitchfork, The Guardian, BBC 6 Music, NME, The Line of Best Fit, Hot Press, Stereogum, DORK, UPROXX, Consequence, Brooklyn Vegan and more.
