Spurring forward a change in direction which is both new and familiar, One Unique Signal will finish out 2007 by committing to tape their very latest sonic emissions which will show the band returning to their slow-burning drone rock roots, while still utilising the grinding repetition for which they made their name as a formidable live outfit.
The story begins in 2000 with the name Windomn Chikkarah, Tremolo for drums and feedback filling the void of lead guitar made absent. Referencing late 80’s British guitar bands like The Telescopes, Spacemen 3, MBV & Loop, the concept evolved to offer an alternative to the burgeoning Post / Math Rock scene.
The tremolo’s were in turn replaced by drums with the arrival of Lee Barber who stepped up with balls to introduce Vocals to the sound which, in itself had become more structured, edging away from drones and ambience and encompassing a more repetitious bass driven feel.
It was during this time that One Unique Signal found their feet as a live outfit, as Drowned in Sound put it back in 2005; “One Unique Signal play with the ferocious detachment of men so far gone in possession that everything else has become irrelevant.”
The release of Lowry in August 2003 began a relationship between Genepool Records and One Unique Signal which led to the release of a full length album almost four years later. Tribe, Castle and Nation was plagued with mixing problems and survived two major hard drive crashes, but by the time of its release, two of the band members (Ed Harding & Lee Barber) had decided to call it quits.
Taking some time out to amass new influences and find their feet as they evolved into the current 5 piece line up, One Unique Signal are now sounding larger than ever. Along with the new faces came a new dynamic in the song crafting process. More of a natural evolution rather than a drastic re-think, the new material prefers to think of standard rock influences as a point of reference rather than a blueprint. Repetitious drums sit alongside wall of noise guitars, feedback, tremolos and ear piercing wah. Taking obscene levels of noise and accommodating them into recognisable forms, the music seems at once both malevolent and comforting.
