As Robotaki, Montreal-via-Toronto DJ/producer Preston Chin has quickly become one of Canada’s more sought-after dance-music architects. After a string of EPs and a few remixes for the likes of The Chainsmokers and Hayley Kiyoko, he’s made sure that his debut album, The Grand Mirage, is his most ambitious and kaleidoscopic project to date. Combining shimmering synths, future-bass beats, and deeply personal lyrics, the 12 tracks here draw equally from Chin’s production skill and his background as a multi-instrumentalist (which for him began as a youngster). The instrumental opener, “The Possibility of a Dream Coming True,” begins with orchestral strings and keys before exploding into a bass-heavy groove, while the throbbing “Obelisk” could soundtrack a sci-fi chase scene. Rapper and singer Pell lends soulful vocals to “Now That We’ve Been in Love,” and rising Montreal singer-songwriter Miko wistfully searches for a companion to share his dreams and secrets on the upbeat “Dreamcatcher.”
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