Galaxian - Blowback (2017)

Glasgow's Mark Kastner, who like to travel the airwaves under the name Galaxian, has only just recently dropped a quasi LP for the Lower Parts imprint and already he's back with yet another new LP, this time for the fledgling yet endlessly pleasing boutique label Foul-Up. If you're expecting two sides of straight-up electro then you might be taken by surprise; the majority of Blowback is indeed beat-driven, but it's the spaces between the fully-formed tunes that we find particularly impressive. For instance, the dark and ominous flow of the excellent "Forget About It" is surrounded by a swarm of other beatless tunes which render it a sort of climax. In fact, this LP is all about the peaks and troths, building continuous momentum and anticipation through hollow sounds that swell and liquify on a constant basis. It is one hell of an 'electro' LP, and this sits right up there with DJ Stingray's best moments over the last five years. Don't sleep!