Just weeks after collaborating with music titans Thom Yorke and Four Tet, enigmatic producer Burial has returned with a solo song all his own. And it’s got a whopping 12-minute (!) runtime.
Titled “Chemz”, the sprawling cut is a nonstop rave of the UK garage variety. And like a DJ set condensed into a bite-sized bit, it has its distinct movements: there’s the hyperactive start; the melodic wave that builds to a classic breakbeat; and the all-in dramatic end, where Burial cranks things up to techno-raging levels.
A press statement on Bandcamp succinctly describes “Chemz” as “hooky, rushy and loved up – both an unhinged premonition of unleashed post-pandemic joy and a demonic flashback to past ecstasies in a hardcore style perfected in the UK.” For those who’ve tuned into the producer’s work as of late, the new track also has a lot in common with Burial’s 2019 single “Claustro”. Or as one person on reddit articulately put it, “sounds like Claustro on steroids.”
Editors’ Picks
Stream “Chemz” below. This song and another new one called “Dolphinz” will appear on a two-track release from Hyperdub on April 2nd.
“Chemz / Dolphinz” Artwork:
<img data-attachment-id="1093692" data-permalink="https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/12/stream-burial-chemz/burial-chemz-dolphinz/" data-orig-file="https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?quality=80" data-orig-size="1200,1200" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="burial-chemz-dolphinz" data-image-description="
burial-chemz-dolphinz
” data-medium-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?quality=80&w=300″ data-large-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?quality=80&w=806″ loading=”lazy” class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-1093692″ src=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?quality=80″ alt=”burial chemz dolphinz Burial Unleashes New 12 Minute Song Chemz: Stream” width=”806″ height=”806″ srcset=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg 1200w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=800,800 800w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=350,350 350w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=807,807 807w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=123,123 123w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=210,210 210w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=250,250 250w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=189,189 189w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=80,80 80w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=380,380 380w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=398,398 398w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=1104,1104 1104w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=912,912 912w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=550,550 550w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=470,470 470w” sizes=”(max-width: 806px) 100vw, 806px”><img data-attachment-id="1093692" data-permalink="https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/12/stream-burial-chemz/burial-chemz-dolphinz/" data-orig-file="https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?quality=80" data-orig-size="1200,1200" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="burial-chemz-dolphinz" data-image-description="
burial-chemz-dolphinz
” data-medium-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?quality=80&w=300″ data-large-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?quality=80&w=806″ loading=”lazy” class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-1093692″ src=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?quality=80″ alt=”burial chemz dolphinz Burial Unleashes New 12 Minute Song Chemz: Stream” width=”806″ height=”806″ data-lazy-srcset=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg 1200w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=800,800 800w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=350,350 350w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=807,807 807w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=123,123 123w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=210,210 210w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=250,250 250w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=189,189 189w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=80,80 80w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=380,380 380w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=398,398 398w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=1104,1104 1104w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=912,912 912w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=550,550 550w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=470,470 470w” data-lazy-sizes=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg 1200w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=800,800 800w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=350,350 350w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=807,807 807w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=123,123 123w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=210,210 210w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=250,250 250w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=189,189 189w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=80,80 80w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=380,380 380w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=398,398 398w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=1104,1104 1104w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=912,912 912w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=550,550 550w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/burial-chemz-dolphinz.jpg?resize=470,470 470w”>