Quietly bubbling away on the underground scene in Bristol, U.K., Motz Workman (aka
Marcel Lune) has been perfecting a specific approach to dance music; his loose-fitting, filtered take on deep disco takes a lot of skill to pull off, and over the course of a full-length album he demonstrates just how hypnotic it can be. The disclaimer: if there's no connection to the album within the first few tracks then it might as well be switched off, as the sound shifts in subtle ways for the entirety of the record. Conversely, this is also the album's greatest strength: it has an intoxicating adherence to theme that will envelop anyone who vibes with it. If a further reference point is needed, look to the early work of
Floating Points -- who formerly captured the same cloudlike essence, although arguably to better effect -- or Workman's Local Talk associate Crackazat, an artist who continues along a similar path but has a much more tangible structure. Despite having a similar aesthetic throughout the album, there are still obvious highlights, specifically the snapping rhythm of "Yeo Japan!" and the driving vocal samples on "Disco Mantra." The only variation comes in the form of "Thug'n," which bizarrely manages to channel the spirit of U.K. garage without breaking
Astral Palms' overall character. As a full piece of work, Workman's debut album creates an atmosphere in a very specific way; it's dance music for headphone or home listening, and for what it aims to be, it hits the spot like few other producers can manage. ~ Liam Martin