PIE EYE COLLECTIVE Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Matthew Gordon's latest outing as Pie-Eye Collective, a staggeringly good, boundary-blurring album that marks his second appearance on Albert's Favourites, is reportedly "an instrumental exposition of how people experience different lives in the same city". It's a loose enough concept to allow plenty of subtle stylistic variation, unified by a consistent sonic approach that's deep, opaque, hazy and subtly off-kilter. We can hear nods to the sonics of dub techno, immersive ambient soundscapes, jazz, IDM and the LA beat-making scene, though the resultant tracks are never anything less than unique. Gordon has a very distinctive musical voice, and it's that - along with the quality of his sound design - that resonates. A late contender for album of the year lists.

Review: Although short on vinyl releases - this, we think, is his first - Matthew Gordon has been making music as Pie Eye Collective for some time, releasing solo productions via digital platforms and contributing to Emma Thackray's WALRUS project. Gordon could well be a star in the making though because Salvation - his first full-length proper - is genuinely excellent. White rooted in broken beat, instrumental hip-hop and the hazier, slower end of UK bass, the album's appeal in part stems from the dreaminess of his electronic chords, the beauty of his synthesizer sounds, and the crackling haziness of the saturated tape sounds Gordon loves adding to productions. We're not quite sure where his sound sits, but the music on offer is genuinely brilliant. We await his next steps with keen interest.