CFCF

It's been four years since Michael Silver released his superb electro throwback debut LP, Continent. Fortunately, the Montreal native managed to use this time to experiment with his sound, releasing a trifecta of EPs that saw Silver messing with different textures and methods, peaking with last year's wildly celebrated, piano-based release, Exercises. On Outside, Silver (aka CFCF) comes off like a seasoned veteran, as this sophomore full-length feels much more enduring, skilful and headier than his early electronic pieces. Adding vocal flourishes to more than half the numbers, Outside sounds more like the work of a songwriter than a producer. While "This Breath" and "The Forest at Night" incorporate live guitar and gentle vocal strokes, each of the LP's ten tracks glow bright with Silver's patented synth hum. It's safe to call Outside CFCF's magnum opus; it's an immaculate zenith that represents every brave, leftfield musical choice this young musician has made up until this point.