Product Description
Audio Mixer: Joker .
After a dozen-plus 12" singles and EPs on revered underground dance labels like Tectonic and Hyperdub, and the Joker-centric Kapsize, Liam McLean lands on 4AD, where he seizes the full-length format. Prior to The Vision, McLean amassed a body of bloody-minded output that toggled between immense and ominous, from modern electronic funk ("Purple City," recorded with fellow Bristolian Ginz) to sparse and booming hip-hop ("Snake Eater"). His best moment was 2009's "Psychedelic Runway," a widescreen combination of prowling beats, lancing synthesizers, and numerous horror-theme elements seemingly constructed for the purpose of devouring any pop radio playlist. While it required only slight modifications to his approach -- brighter tones and simpler arrangements, allowing room for singers and MCs -- it's still surprising that much of The Vision sounds like an effort to assimilate into commercial airwaves. The best vocal track is pulled off brilliantly due to the soul-rooted Jessie Ware, who is commanding and skilled enough to navigate one of McLean's most vibrant and dynamic productions. Otherwise, the most effective tracks are the instrumentals: "Milky Way," "My Trance Girl," and the 2010 A-side "Tron." Each one carries swashbuckling synthesizer lines so heavy that they can be felt, through a decent sound system, in the chest. ~ Andy Kellman
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