November: 19 techno releases you need to hear this month

Illum Sphere 'Glass' (Ninja Tune)

Take a walk on the experimental side with ‘Glass’, the new album from one of Manchester’s finest contemporary electronic artists, Illum Sphere. From putting on the infamous Hoya: Hoya parties to remixing Radiohead and signing with Ninja Tune, there’s no denying that he’s carved out an serious rep as both a producer and performer. On this, his second LP, we get a large dose of his studied approach to techno as he lays out nine little treats for all you connoisseurs of authentic, modern electronic music. ‘Wounded’ struts along with a confident gait and classic techno keys, while ‘Red Glass’ wraps white noise around a set of stirring strings and chimes with an off-key rhythm. Strings also form the structure of ‘Fuel The Fire’, one of the album’s standouts. And then there’s the ominous ‘Paradise’, which places light and darkness side by side in a tremendous exercise of juxtaposition. That same balance is present through the album and, combined with Illum’s knack for making everything sound so exquisite, makes it a superb little record.

9/10