Function

Sandwell District's David Sumner, in an intriguing alliance, has teamed up with Berlin's Ostgut Ton for the release of his first solo album. Sumner, alongside Karl O'Connor (Regis) and Juan Mendez (Silent Servant), has played an important role in the resurgence of traditional underground values, slipping past the spotlight and letting his music do most of the talking. Function has spent the last decade earning the prestige of industry purists for his classic approach to DJing and producing. Incubation sees Sumner stepping out of that shell, enlisting the support of renowned engineer Tobias Freund to help mix the project. Freund's notable influence is one of the most impressive elements of Incubation, as the analog-heavy tracks reach depths previously unheard in Function's discography. The record packs familiar Function trademarks — industrial themes, hissing white noise, acid loops and retro rhythms — but the ideas fall short of reinvigorating the legacy established after Sandwell Disctrict's full-length, Feed Forward, landed in 2010. Still, Sumner remains true to his roots with a record fans will surely enjoy.