Syntaks - Awakes

This is electronica from Scotland's consistently reliable Benbecula label, and a top class album from Denmark's Jakob Skott, who darts from clicky intimacy to vast sound-fields with ease. Along the way it takes in micro-mechanical cranking, smothered vocals and multi-layered moments of brightness. This isn't an album with one sole direction; the ten intricately structured tracks vary in both mood and length. The journey begins with Rise, where dreamy Eno-like guitars are set against eroded beats, and the finale of In The Wake glues multitudes of layers together to achieve a grand climax to the album, although the end result is a bit overwhelming. The standout track here is the gorgeous Respirator Birth, where fuzzy snatches of dub meet weeping strings. A true delight to appreciate. [Tom Donohue]