Guido – Moods of Future Joy

Guido is a producer associated with the 'purple wow' sound which diverged from dubstep in the later part of the 2000s. An important landmark in the development of the post-dubstep scene, purple wow drew from 80s synth funk and R 'n' B, presenting a refreshing divergence from the claustrophobic darkness of early dubstep. On his second album, Guido takes this template and updates it, producing an album which sits well alongside Coolly G, Rustie and Hudson Mohawke.

Heartful Dodger could be a mission statement – robotically-masked vocals ride a pitch-bent synth and a minimal, stuttering rhythm which incorporates squelches, clicks and crackles alongside kicks and snares. The even more minimal Same Road is like a brighter-hued take on the post-dubstep atmospherics of Martyn, while the strobelit minimalism of Jupiter briefly nods to Burial, but it is the sinewy piano and synth of NRG which provides a standout. A few vocal-led mis-steps aside, this is a satisfying listen.