Davidge – Slo Light

Album Review by Bram E. Gieben | 25 Feb 2014
Album title: Slo Light
Artist: Davidge
Label: 7Hz
Release date: 3 Mar

He has produced for Massive Attack, David Bowie, Primal Scream and others, but this is Neil Davidge's first solo album. Rooted in the architecture and aesthetics of Bristol's 90s hip-hop and electronic heyday, it features graceful vocal contributions from Stephonik Youth, Cate Le Bon, Sandie Shaw, Jehlisa Anderson and others, and delivers an epic, string-assisted sweep that evokes Davidge's soundtrack work for, amongst other projects, Halo 4.

It's varied, too – from the Stereolab-like electronic pop of Gallant Foxes to the breathtaking collision of Karma Francis's Beth Gibbons-like vocals and Davidge's simmering experimental techno on How Was Your Day, to Low Roar's take on the plodding electro-blues that made David Lynch's second album such a highlight of last year, while the EBM flourishes on They Won't Know and Zero One Zero are the highlights here. A fusion of extant styles, rather than an attenpt to break new ground, the collaborations lift this diverse and immaculately-produced album. [Bram E. Gieben]

http://neildavidge.com