The Redeemer vinyl

Whether it's part of Hype Williams alongside Inga Copeland or with his solo material, Dean Blunt seems to delight in confounding expectations. Over the years, he's offered releases that steadfastly refuse to fit into any neat pattern. The Redeemer maintains this diverse approach, largely stepping away from the experimental electronics of last year's Hyperdub LP with Inga Copeland in favour of a more fragile, heartfelt sound that prioritizes acoustic guitars, harps, mournful strings and emotionally raw lyrics over drum machines and hissing pops and crackles. It makes for an arresting, if surprising, set, one which retains interest thanks not only to the emotion-rich feel of its music, but Blunt's impeccable sequencing skills. Certainly, it squeezes more unfussy, simple beauty into 70 minutes than anything he's done previously.