January: 18 albums you need to hear this month

Superpitcher 'The Golden Ravedays' (Hippie Dance)

‘The Golden Ravedays’ is a truly vast body of work. It’s being released on Hippie Dance, the label Aksel Schaufler co-runs with his partner in Pachanga Boys, but still bares the hallmarks that made him one of Kompakt’s longest-serving artists. It’s a mature electronic record that combines lullaby-like melodies, pop ambient overtones and soothing chords; with 24 tracks that are all more than 10 minutes-long, it touches on a myriad of moods. Next to dubby comedowns such as ‘1984’ or the lazy summer sounds of ‘Blood & Berry’, there’s also the darker, more menacing ‘Protest Song’, while ‘Flying’ is full of suspensory celestial delights. Listening to the LP in one six-hour stint might be daunting, but the reward is akin to musical meditation. Kristan J Caryl

8/10