[dustv041] Application - System Fork by The Black Dog

‘System Fork’ was designed around the principle of Itamae. From a visit to Japan, Application learnt about how these students (Itamae) would watch the Sushi Master for 5 years before being given their first task. In the same way, every detail in ‘System Fork’ was described and thought about before any work in the studio was done.

Application are Martin & Richard Dust, two of the three-parts that make up The Black Dog. But these groups are not musically interchangeable in any form. The Black Dog have no plan or rules, when they go into the studio they do what we want. With Application that isn’t the case, there’s a set of rules and an internal manifesto that took two years to fully realise before any creative processes started in the studio.

Having rules meant ideas are abandoned a lot quicker than with The Black Dog. But they rules aren’t constrictive, approached as an opportunity for creative freedom rather than something oppressive, it’s seen like a set of walls around a field. This system created an interesting internal conflict between artist and designer.

The setup is also entirely different starting with custom drum racks and bass sounds built specifically for Application. Everything is built from the ground up starting with the bass and drums, and everything is drive by those patterns and grooves.

Working with Human & Shaun Bloodworth, Application also applied more design aesthetics into the artwork, videos & photographs. These will all become the prototypes to a live show with video and visuals.