Matthewdavid – In My World

Matthewdavid's second album for Brainfeeder is a very different beast to the ambient, experimental textures of his debut, Outmind. Where that album explored off-kilter beat workouts, sample collages and drawn-out, textural depth charges of bass and synth noise, In My World is a mercurial, constantly shifting pop album. Beginning with a chopped-up smooth soul cut refracted through typically Brainfeeder-esque sonic weirdness, it only gets stranger amd poppier, occasionally sounding like what might happen if Luther Vandross dropped acid and hung out with FlyLo for a long weekend.

Even the customarily Low End Theory-oriented tracks, like Perpetual Moon Moods, are overlaid with a sheen of polished pop-soul, making this album either a leftfield choice for pop fans, or a more melodic choice for beat enthusiasts. Thankfully, it works beautifully both as a showcase for Matthewdavid's sophisticated beat-work, and a surprising revelation of his abilities as a hook-delivering neo-soul crooner. A treat, then, for those with open minds. [Bram E. Gieben]