Kosheen – Solitude

Since their formation in 1999, this Bristol-based electronica trio have explored a variety of genres, including trip-hop, drum n’ bass and breakbeat, while the ever-present vocals of Sian Evans have kept things anchored within a song-based approach. This fifth LP sees the outfit embracing influences from contemporary bass music: the staccato techno-dubstep hybrid of opener Save Your Tears, for example, sounds like a more chart-friendly take on Scuba’s recent work.

While the rhythmic underpinning here is new, however, the sonic palette – particularly the glossy synth strings and reverb-heavy percussion - sounds bland and dated; Solitude often feels like a less engaging variant of Magnetic Man’s poppy dubstep. Tellingly, the LP is most engaging when Kosheen return to their generic comfort zones, as on the cinematic drum n’ bass of Observation. While their willingness to absorb new elements is laudable in theory, it often feels tokenistic and superficial here. [Sam Wiseman]