Brunette Editions Vinyl & CDs

Review: John Roberts, arguably best known for his numerous outings on Dial and all caps Twitter account, can rarely have made anything quite so joyous as the two tracks showcased on this first Brunette Editions 12". "Orah" blends a cheery main melody with crystalline synthesizer lines and watery electronics with a sticky, densely programmed groove and should resonate with any fans of the Future Times label. "Renata", meanwhile, begins with an extended build up of almost overwhelming beauty, before flowering into a similarly melodious, rubbery deep house groove. Both tracks are packed full of emotion, and sound like they were composed in the midst of a period of intense happiness.

Review: The career of Cleveland's John Roberts has certainly gone from strength to strength since his incredible debut album Glass Eights on Dial back in 2010. Since then, 2013's Fences LP delved deeper into the exotic and abstract as did the Orah and Six EPs on his newly inaugurated Brunette Editions imprint. His first full length offering for the new label, the Plum LP continues on with Roberts' fascination with stunning percussion styles, oriental aesthetics and inventive use of sampling. All the tracks are quite short, lasting on average about three minutes, but have just the right amount of impact. There's a diverse range of moods on offer; from the 80's Japanese action film vibe of "Glue", the woozy steel drums workout on "Dye Tones" to the dusty Balearica of "Gum". It's all quite brilliant really.