Electronica

The latest releases reviewed.

BOLA, Kroungrine, Skam, ****

Not much is known about Darrell Fitton, the Manchester producer who works as Bola, but it's clear from Kroungrine, his fourth artist album, that he listens to a lot of mid-1990s UK electronica and instrumental hip-hop. The heavy, crunchy beats on Noopwouldn't sound out of place on one of Shadow's slow-motion jams, and the saccharine sweet melodies of Hayloolawere undoubtedly inspired by Warp's Artificial Intelligenceseries. Fitton's combination of melancholic female vocals and sensuous electronic textures on Waknutspushes the indie rock/ techno relationship into uncharted territories, while the atmospheric piano keys of Rainslaighthave more in common with Michael Nyman than Skam. Fitton saves his best until last, with the 15-minute Diamortemmorphing from pastoral soundscapes and lonely late-night saxophone riffs into death march beats, before ending with a cinematic string sequence. It's an epic outro from UK electronica's most enigmatic artist.

[ www.skam.co.uk ]

Download tracks: Rainslaight, Diamortem, Waknuts, Hayloola

RICHARD BROPHY