All of a sudden, the rarified air of the Alpine region of Europe seems to be breeding some fine electronic music. Hot on the heels of the stunning Pantha du Prince album, which took authentic sounds from the region, comes this debut record from Austrian producer Clara Moto – and it really is a thing of beauty. Moto has a captivating style that reaches a natural point between relaxation and tension, so that one moment we’re blissed out to a horizontal soundscape with no beats, then the next are grooving to some funk-induced house. Moto employs a satisfying kick drum to the shuffle of ‘Emory Bortz’ and a darker tone to ‘Glove Affair’, which is itself a response to ‘Deer And Fox’, where we are introduced to vocalist Mimu. She brings a Bjork-like frisson to some of her singing, but elsewhere has a more relaxed style. Moto has sculpted this album brilliantly, including a few references to early techno but making a sound that is definitely her own. One to watch for sure, and a debut album to invest in.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
