Modern Recordings Vinyl & CDs

Review: Over the years, Hendrik Weber has released countless albums as Pantha Du Prince whose inspirations are pleasingly pastoral and pure. As the title suggests, Garden Gaia - his first album-length release for two years - continues this theme, with Weber framing it as "an investigation with the means of music about the earth as a perfectly functioning garden". So while largely electronic in terms of instrumentation, the album does genuinely have a "back to nature" feel. For proof, check the slowly unfurling melodies, hybrid electronic/acoustic beats, earthy lead vocals and blissful chords of 'Blume (Bendik HK Edit)', the deep, post-dubstep, shoegaze-influenced warmth of 'Heaven Is Where You Are (Bendik HK Edit)' and the stunning, subtly string-laden ambient beauty of incredible closing cut 'Galactic Garden'.