Not one but two albums from Colder, the French artist generously releasing a blend of new work with unreleased tracks from his time with Trevor Jackson’s Output label. The pair work very well in tandem, because after the laid back ‘Goodbye’, ‘The Rain’ offers a more experimental counterpart. Colder – real name Marc Nguyen Tan – is a slightly restless artist, but this works well in an album form because he moves between styles and moods freely to create a whole that – on the whole – works well. On the first album there are even hints at The Doors in the bluesy ‘Sad Faces’ and ‘The Hill’, while ‘Inside’ is a really effective instrumental nodding firmly at Krautrock. The fuzzy textures Tan applies around the edges come into their own in the second album especially, where ‘All Along The Way’ is the cut of choice, followed by the hazy beauty ‘Re 501 Friday Night’. Alternating between vocal and instrumental tracks, Colder makes a pair of albums that provide a substantial listen, whether in the background or the foreground.
4 out of 5
Reviewed by: Ben Hogwood
