Between Insides and its follow-up
Immunity,
Jon Hopkins worked with
King Creosote on the charming
Diamond Mine, which set the Scottish singer/songwriter's ruminations to backdrops that were half rustic folk and half evocative washes of sound.
Immunity isn't nearly as acoustic as that collaboration was, but its gently breezy feel lingers on several of these songs: "Breathe This Air" expands from a pounding house rhythm into a roomy piano meditation that recalls
Max Richter as much as
Diamond Mine, while the title track -- which happens to feature
King Creosote's vocals -- closes the album on a whispery note. This feeling extends to the rest of the album in less obvious ways;
Immunity is often a more blended, and more expansive-sounding work than Insides, particularly on songs like the
Brian Eno-esque "Abandon Window" and "Form by Firelight," which offers a playful study in contrasts in the way it bunches into glitches and then unspools a peaceful piano melody. Some of
Immunity's most impressive moments expand on the blend of rhythm and atmosphere
Hopkins emphasized on Insides: "Collider" uses sighing vocals courtesy of
Dark Horses' Lisa Elle as punctuation for almost imperceptibly shifting beats and a heavy bassline that helps the track build into a moody, elegant whole; meanwhile, the aptly named "Sun Harmonics" turns Elle's sighs into something angelic over the course of 12 serene minutes. Despite these highlights, the album still reflects how
Hopkins' polished approach is something of a blessing and a curse.
Immunity shows how he's grown, in his subtle, accomplished way, as a composer and producer, yet its tracks occasionally feel like the surroundings for a focal point that never arrives. Even if it doesn't always demand listeners' attention,
Immunity is never less than thoughtfully crafted. ~ Heather Phares