COTTON CLAW

Lovers of Lone and Model 500 (see below) might want to check out this French outfit's latest foray into recorded sound - Volutes represents the more melodic side of minimal electronica. With one foot on the dance-floor and another raised in defiance, Cotton Claw's approach is to make full use of the four pairs of producer's hands on duty here. Lead single Grainy marries blurred synth hooks with a Carl Craig-esque tech-beat, while Hornets resembles '90s R&S powerhouse Ken Ishii's less intense moments. Things get laid-back on nu-funker Sunset Glow before Time Trial returns us to the subsonic minimalism of earlier tracks - I can predict the latter filling a few discerning dance-floors sometime soon. If Volutes suffers from anything, it's overkill. The same James Blake motif of swollen 'wow-wow' keyboards and wilful use of trippy Dam-Funk style rhythms wears thin in places but quibbles aside, I'm rather fond of at least two-thirds of the dozen pieces on offer.

This review also appeared on Flipside Reviews

Paul PLEDGER
15/04/2015