Healer Higher Grounds – Candyflip
12 Moons Solid State
I owe an apology here to Alexis from Candy Flip CDs somehow didnt reach us (a possible symptom of something David Morales, of all people, came up with recently, who always gets nervous flying to London with his records because everyone in the UK is a DJ and could nick his tunes.) And its a good job we all uncovered this, as psyreviews would have missed out on two damn good albums otherwise. Both Healer and 12 Moons are Gothenburgs Michael Andressen; the former being his ethereal ambient/chillout guise, the latter being a crystalline, dreamy four-to-the-floor incarnation. And it goes a long way: two albums expertly mastered by Son Kite, and the two together showcase a dazzling and overlooked producer. His 12 Moons project can morph together staggering, escalating sounds into an orgasmic cacophony (Analogue Haste, Small Adventures, Without Within). He can keep one foot in proper trance, keeping platipus numpties happy (Ovation), get you feeling like youre in a Berlin squat party (Flair), and mash it all together leaving you feeling nothing but misty-eyed and rabid (Halo, Pilot). Working better at lower BPMs, you almost wish hed stick to what he knows best once we get up to the mid 140s, theres a feeling that the tunes are suffocated, and that some more space for them to move would be a fine thing. Balance Solid State out, however, with the Healer album, and youre laughing. Higher Grounds is nothing short of a masterpiece, a killer collection of tear-to-the-eye, real-music downtempo music. In fairness, chillout isnt really the word although this would sound neat in any backroom, it really comes into its own when you turn down the lights and crank up the volume: sonic incense for your life, background sounds for an art gallery, or just the soundtrack to shag away the end of whatever drugs youve consumed this weekend. Psyreviews tips its metaphorical hat to Mr Andressen, a rare talent in a scene dominated by presets and recycled basslines, and retires once more to enjoy Higher Grounds as the hostility of winter nights taps at the window. Bliss.
7 for Solid State, 9for Higher Grounds.
