Music Review
XLR8R
May 2009
Link
9.0
The term of the moment is “wonky,” but when it comes to Alexander Nut’s superb blend of urban beats, it’s all about soul, swing, and a distinctly contemporary kind of swagger. The mix starts off in the sunshine poolside, glowing under the warm rays exuded by tracks like Marco Polo’s “Relax.” But the reflection in the infinity pool gets more refracted and strange as the album progresses, leisurely shifting between raw, slightly disorienting electro beats from hip-hop’s razor edge and oversized U.K. basslines distilled from dub’s massive echoes. Nut never wavers, and seems to find new potential in the thick, unwieldy basslines he strings together. Terms don’t matter when the sum is greater than it’s already impressive parts.