Shook One

Stunning solo album from Paul Elam of Declining Winter. Glitchy electronica, tape hiss and gaseous ambient are combined with organic instrumentation within a set of short tracks which condense avant garde styles into near pop formats. Each melody and timbre takes a careful and considered approach; every sound appears at exactly the right time to have the maximum affect, showcasing Elam's compositional craft. Whether it is through found sounds, processed loops, or instrumentation, the creation of rich melodies is what drives the album, an approach that recalls the likes of Boards of Canada and Fennesz.