The Machine – RedHead review

It’s clear that Matt Edwards is a hyperactive talent, and isn’t solely content to make hypnotic dance floor techno as Radioslave. Edwards has already flirted with more off beat arrangements as Quiet Village, but this was in partnership with Joel Martin. So how does he fare when he takes the path less travelled in solo mode? “Continental Drift” suggests that Edwards has been listening to a lot of early 90s ambience/deep house, its crystalline melodies reminiscent of Higher Intelligence Agency and the rowing bass coming across like a pitched down version of the rhythm on the eternal Balearic house classic  “Paper Moon” by 51 Days.

Elsewhere, Edwards shows his love of Krautrock, as “Opening Ceremony (Fuse)” turns into a freeform rhythmic workout, its sprawling tribal drums hosting monks chanting. On “Leopard Skin”, he delves deeper into experimentalism, with a tapestry of droning noises and bleeps underpinned by clicks and cuts and “Spell Bound” sounding like Can sound tracking a film noir, the flailing snares and dense drums providing a nightmarish sound. Edwards finally returns to his dance floor roots on “Talking Dolls”, where organic drums edge closer to the dance floor, while “Root People” follows a similar trajectory, but includes more sampled chants – just in case there was any doubting the validity of Edwards’ experiments.

Richard Brophy