Lukid – Lonely at the Top

Although previous Lukid records have always been beautifully complex and intricate, they have also been fairly easy to place within contemporary electronica. Lonely at the Top, however, sees Luke Blair drawing upon elements of previous records, and ultimately creating something more amorphous and murky. In part, this reflects a new sombreness of tone: Tomorrow, for example, is centred around a looped, distorted sample of a melancholy chant, and little else.  
 
Coupled with this more reflective, tentative atmosphere, however, is a new maturity in terms of Lukid’s compositional approach. Lonely at the Top’s handling of genre is masterly throughout, whether it’s chopped-up hip-hop (Laroche) or sepia-tinged minimal techno (Riquelme); and despite the tapestry of influences here, Blair maintains a sense of authorship, principally because of his confidence in the value of space and quietude. Experience may be infusing his work with a certain sadness, but it’s also brought a new depth and subtlety. [Sam Wiseman]