Form And Function - Photek

Solaris - Photek

second album sees him making a giant move away from the dark mathematical drum and bass approach of his debut album ‘Modus Operandi’. Where as this previous work has seen Photek lurking in shadowy alleyways twisting and distorting noir jazz breaks into new forms, ‘Solaris’ sees Parkes striding into the sunny uplands. Everything from the sleeve art featuring blurred pictures of palm trees and airport terminals indicates that Parkes has escaped the lure of the dark side. However when an artist’s previous work has been touched by blackness it is very hard for them to fully pull away from such devilish delights. All this makes ...

Solaris - Photek

few housy tracks, but even in these pieces you'll find a lot of elements which are distinctly Photek. 'Terminus', the first single, starts with these droning, Eastern-tinged bass punches only Photek knows how to create, building an excellent track which is, like many other pieces here, both serviceable for the dancefloor and for home listening. 'Junk' shows a completely new side, blending clanging percussion and acid sequencers. 'Halogen' and 'Lost blue heaven' offer heavily echoed, pounding trip-hop beats and peaceful melodies, but the strange atmosphere and menacing undercurrents set them apart from Photek's earlier ...