The Field – The Follower – (Kompakt)

Five albums in as The Field, and Axel Willner continues to cast his own very individual spell. ‘The Follower’ continues his penchant for layering loops of melody and sound, a hypnotic process that quickly reels the listener in. Willner sets his stall out early, establishing long, spun out grooves that are incredibly effective, soothing and subtly uplifting. The hazy cross rhythms of ‘Soft Streams’ are a case in point as are the warm pulses of ‘Raise The Dead’, which shimmers in the half light. Here and elsewhere Willner keeps his beats deceptively simple but shifts the emphasis from on the beat to off again, doing it so subtly that the mind barely notices. His distinctive approach means ‘The Follower’ works well either in the foreground or the background, preferably at either end of the day. It’ll get you under its spell before long, I guarantee!

5 out of 5

Reviewed by Ben Hogwood