Tennyson are going places, their previous release Lay-by is a work of brilliance, and it’s great to see they’re upping their game, and not allowing themselves to fall into formulae. If you like Stevie Wonder lashed funky chilled electro with hyperactive production and a brilliance when it comes to the gaps between the notes then I think you might like this. They have a style that’s reminiscent of the demo function on an early mass-market keyboard taken through a breakbeat mill and sprinkled with trills of the neo-soul patterns currently littering contemporary electro. Occasionally the sound quality almost feels like muzak, one step ahead of any criticism that can be imparted, they send themselves up in one brilliant post-modern ‘elevator’ moment. Worth your time!
A vibraphone-driven ethereal, swollen trek through lush lo-fi with hi-fi throbs and soulful, searching vocals. For the head, drum and bass gets no better.
Renu – “Time is Time”(Midnight Radio: Holykuti Records, 2012)
A poignant and breathtaking meditation on life, spoken – wordlessly – by a composer of enormous talent. Emotional and spellbinding.
tennyson – “Lay-by” (With You – 7 inch b-side: self-released, 2014)
Head-turning, trance-enducing, car door sampling electronic perfection that picks you up and drops you at exactly the right time.
One Self – “Bluebird” (Children of Possibility: Ninja Tune, 2005)
One of the better known tunes. On its production DJ Vadim, Yarah Bravo and Blu Rum 13 made an underground classic, from an album with a timeless hip hop feel but with an experimental edge. Like truly timeless music, this will breathe new life over and over again, for a long time to come.
Rameses B – “New Horizons (VIP)” (Freedom: self-released, 2011)
A liquid dnb tune that channels the continental trancestep (interpret that as you like) sound tearing its way out of your head into dizzying ecstasy highs with existential exploration to boot. Touchingly dedicated to lost loved ones. On first hearing, nothing that special – but let it in and it’ll show you its full spectrum of wonder. Contains a sample from the 1990 film Jacob’s Ladder.
Algernon Cadwallader – “Casual Discussion in a Dome Between Two Temples” (Some Kind of Cadwallader: Be Happy Records, 2008)
Casual Discussion in a Dome Between Two Temples is a touching and beatiful jangly harmonic noisy piece of musical poetry. Hugely popular as a (now defunct) truly independent and underground band, and performers of a great live show who had one of the loudest drummers I’ve ever heard.
