Deep Red

DEEP RED is the debut LP from Deadly Avenger. The first the world knew of Damon Baxter’s new moniker was when he dropped his Illicit EP back in 1998. Though he had already released material under the guise of Sem on Depth Charge’s Electron Industries imprint, this new alias–released on his own Illicit label–ushered in a new, soundtrack-based direction. Significantly, the EP featured a record called “We Took Pelham”, a layered, string-laden track inspired by Bill Conti’s “Going The Distance” track which Baxter had re-recorded using a 47-piece Hungarian orchestra and some deep electro-inspired breakbeat. Deep Red, his debut long player, is a continuation of this overtly cinematic route. Skeptics of the ‘filmic’ category can rest assured that this is not yet another beatmakers homage to Lalo Schifrin though. DEEP RED is more thoughtful than that by building a sweeping, majestic, electro-influenced masterpiece that draws more from the sinister soundscapes of John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape From New York).