The influences Andy Stott lists for his new album may be different than usual: Bohren & the Club of Gore, Prince, Nídia, to name just a few cornerstones. But the result still bears the unmistakable signature of the Manchester producer. »Never The Right Time« lasts a little over 40 minutes, puts Stott’s kaleidoscope in focus once again on nine tracks and proves once again that the hybridization of pop and techno, of bass and R’n’B is not something that has only emerged in recent years. For over a decade, Andy Stott has pursued this artistic vision, reconciling the touching (»Never The Right Time«) with the uncanny (»Dove Stone«). Sharp-edged drumming bolides stand next to ambient monoliths, organic wind instruments next to ultrasterile, detail-obsessed produced pop such as on »Don’t Know How«. There Andy Stott intones his proven head voice, on other tunes like the title track, however, the vocals are taken over by his former piano teacher Alison Skidmore, who can be heard again and again on Andy Stott’s LPs since »Luxury Problems« from 2012. Especially the instrumental »Repetitive Strain« stands out, which is completely convincing even without vocals and unites an incredible stylistic breadth on itself. Andy Stott not only perfects the play with sound and non-sound here, but also varies and shifts beats masterfully. The slow, sustained trip-hop number »Hard To Tell« concludes this fascinating album, which seems more mature in its conception than »It Should Be Us« from 2019.
In Lists
Derya Yıldırım picks 10 records that have shaped, improved and formed her
List
David Pajo picks 10 records that have formed, improved and shaped him
List
King Buzzo picks 10 records that shaped, improved and formed him
List, Portrait
Jimi Tenor picks 10 records that shaped, improved and educated him
List, Portrait
