Glass Underworld

Dead Fader's fourth full-length (in addition to numerous EPs), Glass Underworld finds producer John Cohen refining his ominous, cinematic sound. Previously known for creating broken, jarring dubstep, Cohen is still adept at disruptive bass tones, as the evenly paced eruptions of "Boom Town" can attest. But his sound on this album shifts more toward melodic, slowly building soundscapes rather than the noisy, fractured Dead Fader of old. Tracks like "Penchant" feature pretty, kaleidoscopic spiraling melodies that freely float in a suspended haze. When Cohen uses beats, they're flicking and busy, and they sound like they're being reflected through a long corridor. "Thunderstorm" uses this effect and pairs it with droning synthesizers that almost sound like an Indian raga, and then the piece switches gears for a more woozy, hypnotic final sequence. ~ Paul Simpson