By Daniel SylvesterWhat exactly makes Slugabed's sound so compelling begs for a bit of exposition. The 22-year-old high-flier originally made a name for himself remixing tracks by underground rappers like Pharoahe Monch and Roots Manuva. Despite this, not a moment of Time Team sees Slugabed resting on his laurels. Instead, tracks like the frothy "All This Time" and the cut-and-pastel "Grandma Paints Nice" are spastically rhythmic and forward moving, functioning in direct contrast to the works of other hip-hop-influenced instrumentalists like AraabMUZIK or Clams Casino. Using both vocal samples and synth jams to structure the majority of Time Team, Slugabed prefers to keep songs like "Sex" and "Earth Claps" rhythmically conservative, albeit sonically whimsical. There's far too much aimless noodling on Time Team to allow the listener to become wholly invested in the cult of Slugabed, but the young Brit has proven he can create converging moods within three- to four-minute increments. It's a strength that he'll hopefully carry with him throughout his career. (Ninja Tune)
POP & ROCK: Marie Davidson Marie Davidson
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