February: 18 albums you need to hear this month

The xx 'I See You' (Young Turks)

When The xx first emerged eight years ago, mining a brand of introspective alt-pop that united electronica and indie rock tribes, their impact was seismic. Then, in 2014, a watershed. During a series of New York shows, Jamie, Romy and Oliver barely made eye contact with their audience. It was their way of saying goodbye to the old xx: immediately after, they began making ‘I See You’, with each of the trio juggling it with other commitments – Romy a songwriting course in California, Oliver modelling for Dior and Jamie… well, you know what he did. His solo debut, ‘In Colours’, is an overarching influence on ‘I See You’, but that’s not to say that it’s full of dancefloor jams. Rather, it’s informed by a similar spirit – the deployment of samples, the way beats are utilised, the use of the ‘drop’. ‘Dangerous’ opens with a fanfare of horns, before settling into a 2-step gallop. It’s a sign that things are now different on Planet xx, further bolstered by ‘Violent Noise’, built on a trancey hook you could imagine in an old Paul van Dyk set. ‘Performance’, the most familiar-sounding track here, features forlorn guitar and emotional strings; it’s contrasted by ‘On Hold’, in which a vocal sample from Hall & Oates’ ‘I Can’t Go For That’ is accompanied by 80s-style synth drums and lithe bass. The band’s real X factor (xx factor?) is Romy and Oliver: not since Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell has male/female vocal interaction sounded so seductive. It’s why ‘I Dare You’ is elevated beyond just another love song. “I’m in love with it, intoxicated,” sings Oliver; “A rush of blood is not enough, I need my feelings set on fire,” responds Romy. The xx have undergone a gentle makeover, but what lies at their heart remains the same. Songs for lovers. Songs for the rejected. Songs for all of us. Stephen Worthy

9/10

Zak Abel 'Only When We’re Naked Atlantic Records' (Atlantic Records)

The debut album from soul vocalist Zak Abel has been a long time coming. The North Londoner whetted appetites in 2015 with his soul-bearing ‘One Hand On The Future’ EP, collaborating with Kaytranada and Karma Kid. But ‘Only When We’re Naked’ finds his authentic, unmistakeable voice at its most vulnerable yet. While the synth and drum-led production is upbeat, there’s emotion behind his stories. ‘Rock Bottom’, boasting a heartfelt verse from Wretch 32, is about crumbling under pressure, ‘Awakening’ uplifts thanks to a gospel-style choir and ‘All I Ever Do (Is Say Goodbye)’ tackles moving on from a relationship. Euphoric sing-along ‘Unstable’, though, is the real standout. Ben Jolley

8/10

Various 'Dance 2017' (Secretsundaze)

Secretsundaze founders Giles Smith and James Priestly have been responsible for some of London’s best daytime house and disco parties, and this debut label comp is a snapshot of their diverse record selection. Ethyl & Flori’s ‘Shelter’ is a subtle midday mover and Brawther’s ‘Spaceman Funk’ goes deeper with bubbling synths, while Shanti Celeste’s rolling groover ‘Nu4him’ flows into BLM’s ‘Chemistry’. The melodic layers of Amir Alexander’s ‘Don’t Go’, DJ Qu’s drum-heavy ‘SS1’ and Endian’s techno-flavoured ‘Finish Me’ continue a journey of varying textures, before Two Armadillos’ jazzy ‘Warriors Return’ and James Priestley and Marco Antonio’s acid-tinged ‘Baia 2012’ bring things to a close. Ben Jolley

8/10

SOHN 'Rennen' (4AD)

Let’s face it, Christopher Taylor works in a crowded field: there are a lot of sensitive guys out there who are a bit Radiohead, a bit blues and a bit r’n’b, and all of them have neat electronic beats and voices ready to jump into a falsetto at the drop of a hat. Taylor’s first album as SOHN in 2014 hit all the familiar spots, but demonstrated a strong voice and songwriting, too. Here he goes a step further: there’s some fairly standard anthemic electronic indie and several swerves into James Blake territory, but as the album goes on he gets starker, weirder, less formulaic and steadily more interesting. It’d be nice to hear voice and production crack and cut loose even more – but he’s heading in the right direction. Joe Muggs

6/10

Red Rack'em 'Self Portrait' (Bergerac)

Daniel Berman’s second album as Red Rack’em follows ‘Wonky Bassline Disco Banger’, a quirky underground hit which The Black Madonna hailed as her “track of the summer”. A handful of tracks attempt to recapture that same magic: oddball warehouse highlight ‘Tomato Pope’ mixes an infectious vocal refrain with pace-shifting synths, ‘Kos Mich’ boasts Todd Terje-esque cosmic lasers and ‘April Fool’ delivers feel-good disco grooves. But there are some disjointed misfires, too. ‘Mad House’ irritates due to a persistent ringing noise, ‘Hot Weekend’ is quickly forgotten and ‘Sel’ experiments with drums, crowd noise and bleeps but feels clunky. Closer ‘You Used To Make Me Feel’, meanwhile, lacks energy and fizzles out. Ben Jolley

7/10

Vermont 'II' (Kompakt)

Sometimes, chillout music should be formulaic. Brian Eno’s idea of creating “audio wallpaper” isn’t to be sniffed at: wallpaper can be very, very beautiful and create a sense of luxury. But formulaic can mean bland, too, and Marcus Worgull of Innervisions and Danilo Plessow of Motor City Drum Ensemble’s second album as Vermont treads a fine line between the two. All the familiar reference points are here: Larry Heard basslines, post-’E2-E4’ guitars, Carl Craig-y singing synths, new age doodly synth lines. It drifts from merely being waftily pretty to really elegant to sublime and back with the greatest ease, which can be frustrating – but those sublime moments are enough to make you come back for more. Joe Muggs

6/10

Throwing Snow 'Embers' (Houndstooth)

Artists like Ross Tones, aka Throwing Snow, are the reason we all fought so hard to save Fabric. Signed to the electronic music institution’s artist label, Houndstooth, his new album is inspired by nature’s recurring patterns and blends together left-of-centre dancefloor experiments, sound design and field recordings in an expansive electronic opus. You hardly hear the word dubstep mentioned these days, but Cantor’s ‘Dust Pt 2’ displays all its hallmarks: the furniture-rearranging bass, screeching synth lines and breakbeat. ‘Recursion’ sprawls across its six minutes like modern-day Bach, while ‘Prism Pt 1’ is loping analogue house that jerks and pivots to an idiosyncratic tempo. Stephen Worthy

7/10

Lord Of The Isles 'In Waves' (ESP Institute)

We almost missed this one. So to ensure ‘In Waves’ made waves in the pages of Mixmag, we went back to it – and boy will you be glad you did, too. Lord Of The Isles, aka producer and graphic designer Neil McDonald, has been writing and producing for almost a decade, the enigmatic releases finding homes on key electronic imprints like Permanent Vacation, Phonica and Mule Music. His debut album, released via LA label ESP Institute, is fresh and spectacular. McDonald says an early fascination with Scottish history inspired his moniker, as well as being dragged around the Highlands by his parents as a young child. Those trips clearly made an impact on him, because ‘In Waves’ is laced with beautiful chord progressions and colours as bright as tartan. He seems to be as in touch with nature as he is with percussion and quirky melodies, as demonstrated by the sound of waves washing over pianos on the title track. Its 15 tracks are the epitome of otherworldly electronic sophistication and yes, for the most part they’re as Balearic as a classic DJ Harvey disco re-edit. Certain tracks stick out: the glitchy Balearic bounce of ‘Liobasta’ is an early highlight, as is the smooth cinematic touch of ‘Obar Lìobhaite’. The Âme/Dixon-ish bleep masterclass ‘Weh-In’ doesn’t put a foot wrong over eight scorched minutes, either, while the subtly breathtaking ‘Yanomami’ isn’t far behind. You can catch Lord Of The Isles at Primavera next summer; don’t miss the boat. Ralph Moore

9/10

A Winged Victory For The Sullen 'Iris' (Erased Tapes)

A Winged Victory For The Sullen’s Dustin O’Halloran and Adam Wiltzie have a mysterious and expansive sound that’s perfect for movie scores. The duo’s latest is for Iris, a film by French director Jalil Lespert. There are similarities with Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein’s evocative Stranger Things soundtrack in the opening ‘Prologue Iris’, with its recurring string motif and analogue synth swell. A heavy bass throb infects ‘Retour au Champs de Mars’, beating out a slow, muted rhythm like a submarine engine, while the pair channel labelmate Nils Frahm with the emotive strings, piano and frazzled electronica of ‘Comme on a Dit’. S Worthy

8/10

Brian Eno 'Reflection' (Warp)

Brian Eno can be a frustrating sod: he’s been involved in some of the greatest records in all of history, and some of the worst, too, in the same way a commentator can make some extraordinary, paradigm-shifting observations and be insufferably glib, sometimes all in the same sentence. And when are we going to hear the lost album he made with Herbie Hancock and Squarepusher? Still, when he’s good he’s good, and on this return to the stunning ambient he created in the 70s, he’s on world-beating form. It does nothing new – its tone barely changes over the single 54-minute piece – yet it makes you feel really, really good. Always perverse, Eno achieves the most when he does the least. Joe Muggs

9/10

PVT 'New Spirit' (Felte)

Aussie trio PVT count Warp Records as a former home. Accordingly, their music resonates with that Warp-ish air of arty experimentation, but remains easily digestible. Their post-rock roots are still detectable on ‘New Spirit’, but there’s a dark-hearted dance aesthetic filtering through it. It’s evident in the jabbering, distorted synths swirling around ‘Kangaroo’, while the title track has the raw, jerky energy of early electro pioneer (and Mute founder) Daniel Miller. But everything pales in the shadow of ‘Morning Mist, Rock Island Bend’, a throb-heavy journey built on blacker than black synths and Richard Pike’s ominous vocals, with Native Australian influences and pulses of distortion. Stephen Worthy

7/10

Babe, Terror 'Ancient M'ocean' (Phantasy Sound)

“Lo-fi” is a hideously over-used descriptor, especially in these times of fairly conventional wafty house tracks full of pretend tape hiss. But Brazilian producer Claudio Szynkier really goes the whole hog. His first LP for Erol Alkan’s label might be his biggest release yet, but he’s not compromised one iota: this is all about unplaceable sounds, waves of fuzz, the dreamlike impossibility of distinguishing one thing from another. It’s certainly not for everyone, but there’s a natural flow to his programming that draws you along and into the tonal depths – and even when the sounds are at their most jagged and raw, they’re still laced with ecstatic feeling. Joe Muggs

7/10

Tycho 'Epoch' (Ghostly International)

Once a one-man outfit, Scott Hansen’s Tycho project is a fully-fledged band these days. Their fifth album, ‘Epoch’, is informed by the ‘jam’ philosophy that’s an inherent part of any group’s DNA, as Rory O’Connor’s quickfire breakbeats and Zac Brown’s choppy, hazy guitars mesh with Hansen’s swirling electronics. The ambient sensibilities of Hansen’s earliest work remain, especially on the title track. Tycho are most effective when taking the tempo down and stripping things back: hints of ‘Premier Syptômes’-era Air infect ‘Receiver’ with its blanket of cosy chords. In the opposite camp, meanwhile, ‘Division’ adds a squall of blurry guitar for a shoegazey vibe. ‘Epoch’ is perhaps a little overly fluffy at times, but plenty of sunshine pokes through the clouds. Stephen Worthy

7/10

Various 'New Order Presents Be Music' (Factory Benelux)

“Producing was a really important sideline,” says Bernard Sumner of the Factory era. “It’s OK doing it because although all the groups are skint, you learn a lot and you’re helping somebody.” If your knowledge of New Order only extends to ‘Blue Monday’, then, this comp of early-80s collabs could be for you. From Quando Quango’s ‘Love Tempo’ and Stephen and Gillian’s side project The Other Two (who offer up ‘Inside’) to ‘Real Love’ from Factory Floor (who Morris has previously produced), this well-crafted comp is a reminder that aside from Prince, much of the best music is made via collaboration. Ralph Moore

7/10

Bonobo 'Migration' (Ninja Tune)

The title of Simon Green’s sixth Bonobo album, ‘Migration’, hasn’t been plucked out of the air. Green, who has moved from the UK to New York and, recently, LA, is a musical migrant: he absorbs the sounds of wherever he lays his studio. You also can’t escape the fact that, in these ever-disturbing times, he’s making a political comment about the benefits of free movement. The LP itself is a music-making masterclass: the title track plays with the recurring loops of modern classical greats such as Steve Reich and Terry Riley, setting them amid militaristic percussion and fuzzy electronica. Nick (née Chet Faker) Murphy lends vocals to the dancefloor shuffle of ‘No Reason’, while ‘Grains’ samples folk legend Pete Seeger (a nod to Green’s father, who was something of a folk kingpin). ‘Outlier’, meanwhile, meanders from gentle, glitchy beginnings into wonky house and harp-filled ambience. It’s a record of subtle strength, with all-encompassing warmth and chilled introspection. Stephen Worthy

9/10

Aquilo 'Silhouettes' (Island Records)

Lancaster duo Ben Fletcher and Tom Higham create spellbinding and atmospheric pop that’s perfect for wintry church concerts. Like a warm embrace on an icy morning, the pair’s captivating harmonies come together effortlessly on debut album ‘Silhouette’. With a cinematic sound not unlike Hurts, ‘Almost Over’, ‘I Gave It All’ and ‘All I Ever Wanted’ are intimate tear-jerkers. ‘Human’ is a SOHN-produced highlight, boasting almost-apocalyptic production, while ‘Sorry’ is re-imagined by Iceland’s Ólafur Arnalds. ‘You Won’t Know Where You Stand’ and ‘Never Seen You Get So Low’ are just as powerful, each employing meaningful lyrics and faultless falsettos to tell stories. Ben Jolley

8/10

Calibre 'Grow' (The Nothing Special)

Northern Ireland’s Calibre is a technically astonishing producer, but he’s felt a bit constrained by d’n’b sometimes – especially when we knew what he was capable of at other tempos thanks to his Deep Medi 12”s in 2009 and 2010. So when these four slabs of vinyl from Craig Richards’ label with plain black labels, classy artwork and no information arrived with no warning, we were thrilled. The sounds here float between 2-step, jazz, techno, electro, Burial-ish ambience and – in ‘Over the Top’ – utterly perfect deep dubstep rollage, and at these slower tempos, Calibre’s sounds are able to breathe and evolve in throughly new ways. This album is a proper realisation of potential, and may end up achieving classic status. Joe Muggs

9/10

Matthew Dear 'DJ-Kicks' (Studio K7)

With electronic producers putting more emphasis on classical ambience than ever before, it’s no surprise that Mathew Dear (aka Audion) opts for a similar leafy path on his DJ-Kicks mix by opening with Nils Frahm’s ‘Ode’. But from there on in, the music returns to Dear’s signature synthetic robo-vocoder throb, with the sublime ‘Wrong With Us’ providing a killer early exclusive, before changing gears into hypno-bleep fairly fluidly. Similarly meditative house music moments from Italojohnson and Vin Sol also bring the heat in the first hour, while for the final furlong, he opts for two peak-time Audion exclusives and brings the mix to a close with DJ Khalab & Baba Sissoko’s ‘Kumu’. Ralph Moore

8/10