Demob Happy

Mixed bag

7/10

Pedro’s (aka James Rutledge) debut album is part ‘folktronica’ (see Four Tet) part DJ Shadow. This is not to say the style is an amalgam of both these genres and artists but rather that he flicks between these two spheres of influence. ‘Intro’ and ‘Outro’ are essentially one track split into two, a familiar-sounding and blissful piano melody that could be compared to early Aphex Twin or Philip Glass. ‘Fear & Resilience’ features rollicking and brooding beats in the most obvious ode to Shadow, all chopped up beats, menacing bass and sombre horns. ‘Dead Grass’ meanders for a few minutes with some one-finger piano melodies but transforms into a shimmering little beauty. The glitchy ‘These Pixels Weave A Person’ stops and starts a bit too much, making it seem rather erksome and abrasive, whereas ‘The Water Ran This Way Back And Forth’ is strict ambience, dominated by plucked guitar manipulations. ’12′ returns to Shadow territory with less success while ‘All Things Rendered’ is a folktronic masterpiece – the best song Four Tet never wrote – with its spinning guitar (or is it harp?) samples and gently pulsating rythmn. ‘Seven Eight’ cuts up sitar motifs and female vocal splices with scratching and digital beats. A lot to admire, even if it wears its influences on its sleeve.