Stumbleine – Spiderwebbed
Transcending the alternately melancholy and blissful post-dubstep of his self-released EPs, Stumbleine explores a breathtakingly broad range of sounds on Spiderwebbed. Opener Cherry Blossom features a house beat and familiar pitch-bent vocal samples, with a melodic, ambient warmth drenching the track in sunshine.
The chiming guitar and understated beats of If You anchor the album to its creator's indie-kid roots; as does the well-chosen and executed cover of Mazzy Star's Fade Into You, with an achingly beautiful vocal performance from Steffaloo. Capulet is a more downbeat track, with a fragile piano melody underpinned by washes of ambient noise and half-heard vocal snippets.
The album's anthem is The Beat My Heart Skips, featuring CoMa – gentle guitar and beats underpin the song's ethereal, hazy beauty, achieving a Cocteau Twins-esque atmosphere. The dub-influenced Solar Flare is also sublime. A strong, uplifting debut from an incredibly talented producer.