Another year, another batch of difficult (even difficultly titled) tracks from Sheffield's
SND. From the outset,
Tender Love is a bit more extroverted than the duo's last full-length, though yes, the title is undoubtedly ironic and the first few tracks barely average one arrhythmic beat every few seconds. Things begin to organize themselves nicely by the fourth track, though, with a precious few late-night atmospherics amid some finely tuned micro-house beats. Little things certainly mean a lot on an
SND record, and though the pair shifts gears only occasionally over the course of 15 tracks, a much greater whole is made out of the various (and few) parts used. In the realm of experimental techno and DSP sound processing, producers rarely focus on much more than pushing the boundaries of music; it's doubly refreshing to hear an LP that concentrates equally on album flow as an innovation. ~ John Bush