Paul Blackford - Latitude EP
Mar 9, 00:15 by Stefan KoopmanschapAs you might’ve noticed from my recent series of reviews, I’ve been really digging the music released by the Audio Aubergine netlabel. This is yet another release by this wonderful netlabel, this time a longer release, being a 6-track EP. Paul Blackford is the artist, Latitude EP the name.
The EP starts off with Pyramids of Mars, a nice and laid back track with atmospheric pads and dreamy twinkling. It might have been nice to have a bit more variation, but as it is, the track is definitely good enough to make you dream away to it’s dreamy sound. It’s a good opener for a great EP.
Music of the Spheres follows the opening track with a bit more of an up-tempo feel. The music is still dreamy and twinkling, but this track catches my attention much better than Pyramids of Mars. The melodies are more alive, and this up-tempo feel is also much more attractive.
Electro-rhythms power Event Horizon, the third track, which again uses that trademark laid back twinkly sound that Paul Blackford executes so well on this EP. You can easily dream away to the music, even though Event Horizon is a bit more tense in feeling. The melody line reminds me of Orbital. Very nice.
The title track of the EP, Latitude, speeds things up a bit more. We’re really getting into dreamy techno here which would fit well on a dance floor, but would fit equally well in the chill out room. This makes Latitude a very powerful track, and definitely my favorite track so far.
The Tower of Babel is a very fitting follow-up to Latitude, taking the same up-tempo feel, and taking it in a similar direction, yet, as it should be, slightly different. The track has so many similarities though that I can’t really enjoy it as much as I did with Latitude.
The short closing track is called Ocean of Tears, and it completely goes back to the nice and dreamy atmospheric ambience. Beautiful and maybe a bit too short, this is a very nice way to close of this good experience of listening to the Latitude EP.
Looking back, Latitude was rightfully chosen to be the title track. It’s the best track on the EP. It’s as simple as that. I do like the rest as well, though as noted The Tower of Babel is too similar to Latitude to really be of value. The EP could’ve done without that track. Still, in it’s current form, I’ve really enjoyed listening to this EP, and I suspect it will be played more often.
Released on Audio Aubergine
See also: Paul Blackford website