He’s a very clever man, Jon Hopkins, and a very modest one too – happy to sit behind the scenes while the fruits of his producing labours are revealed. The likes of Coldplay and Brian Eno have already benefited from his talents, while the collaborative ‘Diamond Mine’ album with King Creosote was a subtle delight. Here he returns to self for a fourth album, but something is different – the tempo has shot through the roof. It might surprise long-time fans of Hopkins to learn there are some pumping house tunes on this record, but in typical style they are incredibly well crafted and managed. ‘Collider’ is the obvious stand-out, a massive, weather-beaten house track, but the title track proves that Hopkins can manage fast beats and slow moving chord sequences with real precision and flair. ‘We Disappear’, meanwhile, has a sharp edge to its ambience that becomes more acidic as the track moves forward. This is house music for headphones or dark clubs, as close up listening reveals all the detail he invests in his music, but also reveals it to be widescreen and descriptive, meaning each track exists on several different levels at once. Incredibly assured music, this, that gets better with every hearing.
5 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
