Dan Deacon has been rather busy in recent years, composing soundtracks to films (the documentary Rat Film) and HBO series (Well Groomed), but has now delivered a sensitive new solo album which sees him manipulate a synthpop sound which is different to usual, slightly crazy and frenetic at times, and even slightly brit pop (Sat by a Tree). But the musician from Baltimore remains a dab hand at creating hypnotic electronic trips, evidenced in Fell Into the Ocean and My Friend which is reminiscent of Vangelis. Even better, the psychedelic 7-minute-long Bumble Bee Crown King which punctuates the album mixes drum’n’bass beats and arpeggiated synths and definitely propels the record through the looking glass. Also worth noting is the song in four acts Arp which flits between tinny techno kicks, chiptune synths and ambient torpor. A piece of great art. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz