Up this week is Guy Andrews’s debut LP ‘Our Spaces’ on Fabric’s own Houndstooth imprint. The London label continues to break boundaries with this radical collection of immersive soundscapes. Previous works from Andrews have ranged from the more ambient and instrumental projects of Iambic and Moving Dawn Orchestra, to dance floor hits on Scuba’s Hotflush label. This LP sees him strike a balance between the two with a well defined song based structure that feels as much like a live set as a studio album. Using formidable chorus lines, heavy percussions and a mass of synthesizers there is an ever present lo end hum to Andrews’s album that radiates with rich textures and a sound that roars proudly out of the speakers.
Straight from the opening track ‘Higher Waters’, Andrews creates a multi-layered world that continues to soar right through to the finish. ‘In Autumn Arms’ demonstrates his ability to create emotional catchy melodies by joining quirky synth lines with a simple guitar riff. The more linear dance tracks ‘Without Names’ and ‘Decipher’ give a nice break from the all encompassing sounds he chiefly projects; check out the title track to know what I mean there! Though some may find this heavy on the surface, the nature of his digital production gives a delicate analog sound underneath it all which makes this LP all the more interesting, innovative and impressive.
4.2/5
Words by Ben S