Letherette's highly anticipated second album is the deep and dusky Last Night on the Planet, a follow-up that should please fans as it offers more of the same subterranean grooves and vintage samples that made their 2013 debut so appealing.
Hailing from the same UK city of Wolverhampton as the much-feted Bibio, Letherette create similarly sample-centric music, but the comparisons really end there. Where Bibio is light and pastoral, Letherette are deep and murky, aiming more squarely for the dance floor. And while the majority of the album is highly danceable, some of its more interesting moments occur at more laid-back tempos. Early highlight "Rich and Dan" for instance, pairs a cascading drum pattern with looped guitar samples to great effect, creating a swirling, almost country and western vibe at one point — cool stuff.
The album is also bookended by two hip-hop guest appearances, a smart move as Letherette's warm, lived-in beats and sample-centric approach have much in common with certain strains of hip-hop. As a result, rappers Rejjie Snow and Pyramid Vritra sound very much at home here, lending the album some appreciated variety.
There's also a pair of '80s-inflected numbers (first single "Shanel," for instance), that harken back to similar-sounding tracks from their debut. It's a mode that Letherette are clearly comfortable in, but one they don't abuse with overuse. As a result, Last Night on the Planet is a solid followup with enough variety to please listeners both on and off the dance floor.
(Ninja Tune)Hailing from the same UK city of Wolverhampton as the much-feted Bibio, Letherette create similarly sample-centric music, but the comparisons really end there. Where Bibio is light and pastoral, Letherette are deep and murky, aiming more squarely for the dance floor. And while the majority of the album is highly danceable, some of its more interesting moments occur at more laid-back tempos. Early highlight "Rich and Dan" for instance, pairs a cascading drum pattern with looped guitar samples to great effect, creating a swirling, almost country and western vibe at one point — cool stuff.
The album is also bookended by two hip-hop guest appearances, a smart move as Letherette's warm, lived-in beats and sample-centric approach have much in common with certain strains of hip-hop. As a result, rappers Rejjie Snow and Pyramid Vritra sound very much at home here, lending the album some appreciated variety.
There's also a pair of '80s-inflected numbers (first single "Shanel," for instance), that harken back to similar-sounding tracks from their debut. It's a mode that Letherette are clearly comfortable in, but one they don't abuse with overuse. As a result, Last Night on the Planet is a solid followup with enough variety to please listeners both on and off the dance floor.