HKE - Dragon Soul (2017)

HKE has already released one album for Olde English Spelling Bee, a loose and explorative bundle of outsider electronics with a noticeable sci-fi flair, so a return to form is what's expected here. Thankfully, the artist has not disappointed one bit and, in fact, Dragon Soul sounds like an even more accomplished and balanced piece of work. Driven by a deep sense of nostalgia, and charged by a subtle Far-Eastern influence, the LP manages to perfectly balance the experimental with the traditional; the mood is solemn and crestfallen in many places throughout, but it's HKE's warping and morphing of beats and heavily processed synth sounds that render it infinitely beautiful. If you're a fan of Hype Williams' early output then this should tickle in the best of ways...