Letherette – Last Night on the Planet

Following up 2013’s eponymous album with the dynamic Last Night on the Planet, Letherette amp up their signature style with a funkier approach, darting between bpms and traversing genres.

The duo serve up the cocktail of synth-driven samples and R&B beats we have come to expect but flaunt their versatility, mixing a wide range of influences with flashes of brilliant experimentation. Rejjie Snow’s confident, intimate rap hooks the listener on opener Momma, while the first single Shanel evokes the intrigue and energy of 80s R&B. Further down the tracklist, complex sample reconstruction creates the euphoric Rubu.

Alongside crowd-pleasers are tracks like the downbeat Bad Sign, consisting of dry vocals layered over a sparse, stripped-back composition. As on Letherette, these quieter, more introspective moments demonstrate the power of electronic music to resonate emotionally, despite any preconceptions.

Letherette manage the notoriously tricky second album by delivering a reworked and revitalised version of the style with which they have made their name.