#8 of 25
· Cratewise Editorial
“South London at 3 AM. Pitched-down vocals, rain on windows, two-step rhythms dissolving into static. Made entirely on free software. Sounds like a city dreaming.”
Burial is the mononym of William Bevan, a British electronic music producer from South London who emerged in the mid-2000s. He rose to prominence with his 2006 debut album 'Archangel,' followed by the critically acclaimed 'Untrue' (2007), which became a landmark release in dubstep and electronic music. His sound, characterized by heavily processed vocals, haunting atmospheres, and intricate rhythmic fragmentation, evolved further with albums like 'Street Halo' (2011) and 'Hyperdub' compilations. Bevan has maintained relative anonymity throughout his career, rarely granting interviews or making public appearances, which has added to his mystique. His influence on UK garage, dubstep, and post-dubstep genres is profound, and he continues to release music sporadically.
Style
Burial creates haunting, atmospheric electronic music that blends elements of UK garage, dubstep, and ambient soundscapes. His signature technique involves layering pitched and time-stretched vocal samples over complex breakbeats and deep bass, creating an immersive, ghostly sonic environment.
Significance
Burial's 'Untrue' is considered essential listening for electronic music collectors and helped define the sound of 2000s UK underground music. His innovative production techniques and deeply emotional approach to electronic music have made his vinyl releases highly sought-after by collectors interested in experimental and avant-garde electronic music.
Untrue, released in 2007, was the second studio album by the London-based electronic producer Burial (Will Bevan). Recorded largely in isolation in his bedroom studio, Bevan crafted the album using heavily processed vocal samples, chopped-up R&B and soul snippets, and minimal beats buried under layers of digital distortion and reverb. The production process was meticulous and secretive—Bevan famously kept his identity hidden and provided minimal commentary on his methods. Key collaborators included vocalist Archangel on 'Archangel' and uncredited female vocalists throughout. The album's sonic palette drew from UK garage, dubstep, and 2-step, but twisted these elements into something entirely new: ghostly, haunting soundscapes that felt like transmissions from another realm. Bevan's use of pitch-shifted and time-stretched vocal fragments became a signature technique that would influence electronic music for years.
Historical Context
Untrue arrived during the emergence of UK dubstep and grime into mainstream consciousness, yet it operated at an oblique angle to contemporary trends. While the underground electronic scene was growing in visibility, Burial's introspective, melancholic approach offered an alternative to the aggressive sound-system culture dominating discussions. The album was initially released on the small Hyperdub label and developed a cult following before gaining widespread critical acclaim and influencing a generation of producers. By the time Untrue's reputation solidified, it was recognized as one of the definitive electronic albums of the 2000s—prescient in its emotional depth and production innovation.
Pressing Notes
Untrue's original 2007 CD and vinyl releases on Hyperdub were relatively limited. The first vinyl pressing is highly sought-after by collectors, particularly audiophile variants. The album has been reissued several times, including expanded editions with bonus material. Vinyl pressings vary in quality; early pressings on 180-gram vinyl are preferred by collectors for sound quality. The artwork—featuring distorted, ghostly imagery—varies slightly between pressings. Collectors should verify pressing matrices and labels to identify original UK releases versus later reissues, as demand and rarity have made this album increasingly collectable.
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