Darkstar

When Darkstar released their debut LP, North, at the end of 2010, it signalled a change in musical direction, as the trio ditched the hiccupping beats and haunted vocal samples that defined their early singles for a more song-based, untreated sound. In a move that makes Darkstar's switch from Hyperdub to Warp that much more logical, News from Nowhere finds the Londoners wholly abandoning their dubstep roots, laying down ten structurally-sound dark-wave warblers. The use of James Buttery as a full-time vocalist helps give News from Nowhere an identifiable personality — melodies are sharper and brighter, even when subjected to waves of reverb ("Timeaway") and dreamy layering ("You Don't Need a Weatherman"). Although Darkstar's sophomore release stands as their first cohesive piece of work, News from Nowhere tends to drag in certain spots as tracks begin bleeding together due to their correspondingly waddling pace. On News from Nowhere, Darkstar have completed their transformation from playing in an overexposed genre to being in an irresolute one.