Radio Reception – Vincent Projects (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Hot off the back of his reworking of 2022’s Press Start album comes Radio Reception, an album of 12 new songs that, like most of his work, wander around the electronic landscape, mixing and matching all manner of digital sounds into new and intriguing forms.

“Loose Sleep,” the album’s opener, takes an interesting form —a song that jumps around in form via a couple of abrupt sonic cuts, as if someone were changing stations on a radio. Very apt, given the album’s title.

The album moves between digital understatement and more groove-orientated songs, between drifting ambiance and tracks that would feel at home in clubland, at least in the early hours of the chill-out rooms in the most discerning and desirable venues.

“Capiz Blues” has a wonderful oriental quality, ebbing and flowing between funky grooves and chiming eastern vibes, bluesy ornateness, and the warm sonic echo of the East Asian monsoon winds.

“Elevator Music” is a slightly self-deprecating title; its deft and delicate ways are way above the usual sonic fare found in such realms; as I recall, it is usually something akin to a reworking of Sade on a cheap Casio keyboard to avoid paying recording rights.

There are upbeat groovers, like “The Box of Shame,” skittering yet ambient pieces, such as “Colonies,” and strange, intricate and ornate spoken-word pieces, such as “Versatile,” which rounds things off. There is everything in between.

Anyone who thinks that electronic music, EDM…whatever you want to call it, is one-dimensional needs a bit of Vincent Projects in their life.