SBTRKT (Aaron Jerome) is an electronic artist from London, UK. He is most notable for his extensive list of remixes of artists such as Basement Jaxx, M.I.A., and Radiohead, as well as his peculiar Native American inspired ceremonial masks that he wears during live shows. 2014 has already been a productive year for the producer as he’s already released three E.Ps entitled Transitions I, Transitions II, and Transitions III, that contain tracks recorded around the time of his self-titled debut album released in 2011. His latest album Wonder Where We Land is a generous collection of 15 tracks featuring an impressive array of guest artists.
Opening tracks “Day 1” and “Wonder Where We Land” are both slow tracks designed to build up to the main bulk of the album. Following track “Lantern” begins with a stuttering synth melody that leads into a similarly stuttering, instrumental dubstep track. “Higher” features the album’s first guest appearance, Atlanta’s rising star Raury who raps over the top of a simple electronic drum beat. The rapping is impressively fast paced, but it’s slightly let down by it’s monotony.
“Look Away” didn’t grab me initially: it’s off kilter arrangement was hard to grasp and guest musician Caroline Polachek’s vocals seem to go against the track as opposed to blend in. It’s not until you listen a little deeper and notice SBTRKT’s unusual production style. The little piano melodies and laser sounds add atmosphere to the ever changing drum beat; one minute a rattling cymbal, the next a soft dubstep beat.
The interlude tracks (“Day 1,” “Day 5”) are strange additions. Each one around the 30 second mark and featuring nothing more than electronic bass synths colliding. The titles and content suggest Wonder Where We Land is a concept album of sorts. It’s all a bit lost on me though as it’s hard to gauge any real clues from short interlude bursts and instrumental tracks that don’t seem to go anywhere. One such track is “Osea” which is made up of nothing, but overlapping synth bursts and strange atmospheric pad sounds. This goes on for nearly three minutes and it leaves you more confused than when you started listening.
“New Dorp. New York” is easily the album’s strongest track. With Ezra Koenig on vocal duties, it’s a funky disco song that comes into it’s stride right away, thankfully avoiding the slow and at times strange synth play that SKTRKT seems all to happy to employ. Another gripe with Wonder Where We Land is that it gets off to such a sluggish start, leaving the majority of it’s strong content in the album’s second half. Talented UK musician Jessie Ware guests on “Problem Solved” and brings along her trademark soul-infused vocal style. She more than holds her own, but again you have to question SBTRKT’s choice of instrumentation, this time opting for a bouncy piano riff interspersed with various sound effects. There’s no doubting his musical intelligence, plain to see in his at times complex arrangements, but many of the tracks on Wonder Where We Land would benefit from the simpler layout of instruments. This is most notable on “If It Happens,” which is a simple piano and vocal track with a nice feel to it.
SBTRKT is clearly a very clever producer that likes to think outside the box in terms of his song arrangements. At times it’s genius, but there are also moments when a simpler approach would suffice. All of the tracks featuring other artists are among the strongest songs on Wonder Where We Land, the Koenig track in particular. If you can persevere through the confusing interludes and lifeless instrumental tracks then you’ll find some excellent stuff on the album. As an album from start to finish though there’s just to many moments where you’ll find yourself skipping through songs. Wonder Where We Land is sadly an album that for all it’s hits is simply let down by it’s misses.
Rating: 2.5/5