If you haven’t yet heard of Hedflux, you could be forgiven.
The nomadic Scottish-born, Hawaii-based producer has rarely sat still long enough to gather any dust. After bagging a Ph.D. in quantum physics, then ditching the 9-5 grind in pursuit of sonic sublimation, his rapid rise in the late noughties to become Dalai Lama of the psy breaks scene might have felt like a final destination for some artists. Like all good nomads though, Hedflux didn’t sit there for long. The aptly named ‘Wanderlust’ EP (2013) revealed a drop in tempo, a rich refining of sound and technique, and a hint of things to come. Three years later, a journey across the globe first to South America, then Hawaii ensued during which time Hedflux summoned up eight glorious down-tempo seedlings from the quantum ether and bunkered down in the studio with a bag of compost to cultivate them into the sonic rainforest that forms his debut album ‘Soul Science’.
Album opener ‘Sananga Seranade’ sets the scene with its sure-footed melt in the mouth squelching bass bubbles, building the biosphere for the polyphonic flora and fauna that inhabit the album to burst into life. The safari unfolds, and from the impish loping groove of ‘Hyperslap’ to the gut punch filthed up low end stomp of ‘Sacrilicious’, Soul Science delivers throughout. ‘Superluminal Sound’ is a highlight amongst highlights; its midpoint drop igniting fireworks of hyperdynamic bleeps, swoops and interwoven syncopation that delight with every listen.
The filtered dreamscape of ‘Peyote Dawn’ unfurls its sails and planes across pristine waves of warm glassy synths and rhythmic ripples while the disturbingly titled ‘Meatsuit Maintenance’ relaxes into hazed out polyrhythmic bass-gazing. The dubbed out hypnotics of ‘Mystic Physics’ enchants then ups the tempo, accelerating towards album closer ‘Soul of Man’ which serenely guides you out of the record leaving you with the distinct feeling that you’ve just bobsleighed through the eye of God via a quantum wormhole and popped out the other side with a shiny new nervous system. Nice.
Each carefully sculpted element of every track on this album compliments and collaborates beautifully with its cohabitants to create something way beyond the sum of its parts. Proof that ‘intelligent’ digital music doesn’t have to mean esoteric or obscure, and that Hedflux is a producer of incredible talent. Liquid audio architecture at its finest; play it loud, love it, then go seek out and devour his entire back catalogue.
8/10
Words: DK
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