Substance

Two and a half years after the awesome, still-ringing-in-the-ears Audiodrome, and following some wicked singles, Tristan’s back with his second album. And while this album is littered with plenty of Great Moments In Dance Music (TM), it must be stressed that this album follows Audiodrome no more than Army of Darkness follows Mary Poppins. Let Go opens the album in nice housey style, there’s an addictive and immaculately-produced synth line that leads up and out of the backend. Nice stuff with a positive groove, though there is the temptation to just check the writing on the CD to make sure it’s Tristan. His ScareFactor makes a return on Festival Fever, with the menacing vibe offset by a nice and individual fluid progressivity (is that a word?). Dirt Licker is sound filthy disco, and Up Syndrome adds some psychedelia to the mix of various styles. Brazilica Psychedelica is interesting, a sleazy and well-layered experimental tune that’s not psychedelic in the conventional sense but is still a chummy and likeable groove. Funk Rock sees the classic Tristan sound come out of the woodwork and chasing you for breakfast, and the ibiza-friendly Sapphyre Eyes is an epic close in a satisfying detox style. Pretty good stuff, but a long way from the Audiodrome style that a lot of us are still addicted to. Great moments, but whether they’ll appeal to the psychedelic massive is open to debate.