Martin Wheeler makes a very welcome return with this long player, recorded entirely using just an iPhone equipped with Blip Interactive’s ‘Nanostudio’ app and a pair of headphones. You wouldn’t know from the final results though, for he manages to use a kaleidoscopic breadth of sounds, delivered with the clarity that we’ve become accustomed to from this source. The tracks are typically well constructed, with intricate melodies that complement each other well. Within this framework, ‘Clandestine’ pans out a bit to give a wider screen sound, while ‘Kongaroid’ turns a good deal darker and faster. By contrast ‘Final Wish’ has a softer heart and a more fragile, paperweight construction. What has always impressed with Wheeler is his ability to make so much come together in his recordings, but without crowding them – and in doing so he sets some intense moods that capture beautifully the feeling of being one person in a living, breathing city. That happens again here – all through a piece of kit no bigger than your hand. Very impressive.
5 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
