Lockah – It Gets More Cloudy…

...brightly lit purpose, comfort and joy

Lockah's weather report is the sound of many a televised 80s prom at the moment when the photo is fading or an American Dream being realised. Bold synth strokes, slapped bass and fast fingered pop dexterity are obvious pointers towards a maximalist's dream; Tom Banks' consolidating of last year's 'Yahoo or The Highway' is more than just homage to times of gaudy synths played to levels of pastiche, and day-glo image driving the music.

From the initial sci-fi reconstruction 'Important 2/Hate, Meet Fate' – another theme that would be easy to follow through on – and melodramatic cyber horror 'Barcelona Drums' that develops into a classic run of the gauntlet seizing and winning the day, hope and optimism are key themes for the Scotsman, merrily plugging any expected holes of vacuous prettiness.

Rave pianos with happy hardcore drum rolls and little smiley faced touches here and there add to the celebratory vibe that keeps any stylistic irony to Lockah's continued randomising of track titles. Anyhow, 'Heate Legend' is loaded with firepower to fit any upfront occasion, ejecting itself from a comfy bed of wavy synths. Variations in ambience are as good as they are surprising, easing you out of your Virtual Reality headset with 'Push Off My Wire' reuniting The Clangers, and 'Pass Out in the Hot Sun' enjoying a romantic getaway to Mars.

The avoidance of vocals is a good move for properly framing the album in a time and place; or rather, it doesn't require any more egging on. Poking holes in the theory that it's just a conveyor belt of cheese (in the wrong hands this will be good wind-up material), there's depth here that manages brightly lit purpose, comfort and joy.

8/10

Words: Matt Oliver

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