{"product_id":"neptune","title":"Neptune","description":"Higher Authorities is a side project of Clinic members Adrian \"Ade\" Blackburn and Jonathan Hartley that leans heavily toward the group's dub influences. The duo's songs consist of a loose drum machine pulse surrounded by organ and fuzzy wah-wah guitar, and of course waves of echo effects. The album was mixed and co-produced by Adrian Sherwood, Britain's foremost dub expert, but the songs are closer to languid psych-pop rather than post-punk or reggae. At some points, it seems somewhat like Sun Araw with more of a pop focus and faster tempos. Other moments recall the homespun indie-dub-disco of Peaking Lights, but with a slightly paranoid feel rather than sunny optimism. Blackburn veers toward speaking rather than singing on several tracks, bringing to mind Underworld's Karl Hyde at times, particularly when his effects-altered voice chants \"everything\" during \"Colour.\" Background studio chatter surfaces occasionally, lending to its casual, in-the-moment feel. There's only a handful of instances where the dub-damaged effects overpower the songs; this isn't anywhere near as harsh or whacked out as Mark Stewart's most bizarre work. \"Monocle Man\" comes closest to that territory, though, as it features some intense spliffed-out delay surrounding a British female voice who brings to mind Sherwood collaborators like Ari Up and Little Annie. There's a tiny bit of sly, mischievous Lee \"Scratch\" Perry-like humor mixed in, particularly when barnyard animal sounds start creeping into \"Abracadabra.\" Surprisingly, it takes until the album's final minutes (during the relaxed, swirling title track) for a melodica to show up. Higher Authorities doesn't seem to have any ambitions beyond being an informal extracurricular venture, but it sounds decent and trippy enough. ~ Paul Simpson","brand":"InnerSleeve","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41982491951269,"sku":"887829035518","price":27.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/6007\/1077\/files\/ccb034155a38177e55fd84151311a326.jpg?v=1777718264","url":"https:\/\/www.innersleeve.com\/products\/neptune","provider":"InnerSleeve","version":"1.0","type":"link"}