This is rich and satisfying music, just to the left of pop and produced with an obvious sensitivity towards a number of genres.
Typical of Bates' work, the music is synth-heavy with masterful pop construction (read: incredibly fun and memorable melodies with compelling, sensible arcs), though it never shies away from throwing in a twist.
Considering Big Black Delta contains more than a few of the year’s best musical moments, it seems odd that the record itself isn’t more compelling.
The peaks of Big Black Delta occur when you’re having too much fun to listen for artistic ties.
#42 | / | Under the Radar |