Clark (Chris Clark) - Iradelphic (CD, Vinyl LP)

Wow! Chris Clark has changed. I remember when I first played this in the office I thought, 'Ooh, Chris Clark has changed' (you have to hear me say it for it to have a chance of being funny). He really has as well as whoever I played this to they didn't recognise it was him. The album starts with the stunning opener 'Henderson Wrench' where a mishmash of stringed instruments collide and create a shuffling strummy intense piece of music all sewn together electronically. Shifting onto Com Touch with its nod to vintage electronics, synths and library music you end up with a classic piece of modern electronica which is proper doing it for me. The whole album does. I usually find him hit and miss but this album is something special. It's the most inventive electronic sounding record I've heard in a long while. There's so many ideas on this album that it could have easily ended up being a huge mess but somehow it works. 'Open' with Martina Topley Bird on vocals is a stunning piece (she sings on a few tracks on the album). It somehow straddles being laid back and coffee table-ish and being a bit wonky with some messy sounding melodic synth noises. It's good to hear an electronic artist move on so much and I'm pleased it's on Warp as maybe they'll find their feet again. There's even a track of piano music in it. It's all over the shop I tell you. Every track is awesome though and I reckon there's something for everyone on this peach of an album. Cocking blinding!!

Very good record  . .  would agree with the Norman review although for 16 spot I'd have liked it double screen printed, 180g.  From the speakers it sounds great and its full of energy and wamth on this particular sunny day.