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Since at least 2024, by our reckoning, shells have been having something of a moment in electronic music. Why, exactly, is anyone’s guess. Maybe it’s the unsettling feel of nautilus palps or the spiraling segments of ancient fossils—forms that seem to intuit the mechanized pulse of techno. Birmingham linchpin Surgeon (Anthony Child) taps into this fascination, transforming chirping sonic opercula into filter-fed 4/4 Borg-like entities. Despite the thematic suggestion, Child keeps his setup minimal: “For me, it's an interesting experience returning to old techniques again after 30 years,” he says. The result is a stripped-back, live-style set—eight tracks recorded in single takes. Only "Dying" breaks from the beat-driven mold, offering a morose, mantra-like soundscape. Learn More