Concentrick

He's done his conceptual punk trip in Nation of Ulysses, and he's presently a guitar wanker extraordinaire in progressive metal outfit the Fucking Champs, but now Tim Green shows us his electronic studio alter ego with Concentrick. Showing few hints of his previous work, Green masters warm chill-out grooves with beautiful melodies in contrast to his darker excursions into high-tension drum & bass and bombastic percussion. The creative arrangements bring together warm ambient passages full of big orchestral sweeps with spoken word segments and surprisingly hooky pop elements. Reference points include contemporary studio artists like Third Eye Foundation and Aphex Twin, as well as '70s ambient artists like Brian Eno and Tangerine Dream. Tender Machines was recorded in Green's own San Francisco studio over a period of four years, giving the final album a depth worthy of serious sonic investigation and many repeat listenings.