Letherette – Letherette

Fitting nicely into the genre of smooth, immaculately realised, emotionally-driven electronic music from which so many strong albums have emerged in recent months (Lapalux's Nostalchic, FaltyDL's Hardcourage), Wolverhampton's Letherette deliver a satisfying slew of deep, house-influenced, melodic cuts on their first full-length offering.

Album opener After Dawn has a gorgeous chord progression; melancholic and beautiful. D&T is sunnier; sidechained synths and echoing vocals come on like robotic 80s funk with a warmer palette, whereas Warstones is driving electro with a Gallic feel. Elsewhere, Restless combines an R&B hook with polished, bass-heavy disco, while the chopped hip-hop beats and time stretched vocals of I Always Wanted You Back and Cold Clam vary the tempo.

The more reflective moments, like the electronic shoegaze of Gas Stations and Restaurants, or Boosted, are equally well constructed. A clear standout, Hard Martha, twins double-time, skittering rhythms with spacious dubstep beats and yet more delicate synth washes. A satisfying debut. [Bram E. Gieben]