Built to Fade

Composed of CunninLynguists producer Kno and singers Zoe Wick, Dane Ferguson and Anna Wise (who's currently generating a lot of buzz thanks to her appearance on Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city), Built to Fade blend the hypnotic grooves of vintage trip-hop with the pastoral vibes of folk. As To Dust attests, it's a more than inspired mix: the title track sets a plaintive, rustic mood with acoustic guitar and violin, before flowing into the seductive "Angel," which features an earnest performance from Ferguson. Kno continues to prove he's one of the finest beatsmiths around with the addictive, head-bobbing grooves of "Willie Sutton" and "The Invisible Man," both featuring Wise's charmingly wayward vocals. More saturnine cuts like "Dark Night" and "The Actress" take a few listens to get used to but reward repeat listening. At only 30 minutes in length, it might be tempting to dismiss To Dust as just another side-project, yet it's a cohesive and wholly organic sounding release.