Two decades have passed since the initial rush of acid house, the same time that the smiley face of Bomb The Bass’ ‘Beat Dis’ could be seen everywhere, and Tim Simenon appeared on the cover of the NME. He’s finally returned from an extended spell on the sidelines with his first album since 1995’s ‘Clear’. Now with a regular vocalist in Paul Conroy, the new album picks up where that record left off – and succeeds handsomely. Conroy impresses particularly in ‘So Special’, a really striking track where Simenon’s backing sounds like a quietly powerful piece of industrial machinery. There are guests here too though – Mark Lanegan’s unique brand of brooding darkness powers Black River, while Fujiya & Miyagi offer ‘Butterfingers’ for the Nintendo generation. Simenon keeps a mood of hidden menace in his productions, which occasionally offer a hint of dubstep in their dark mood. It’s a triumphant return – and now that he’s back up to date, watch him go with the next one!
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
