Flume - Hi This is Flume

Flume
Hi This is Flume
2019
Spotify

Flume is one of those artists who is quiet until He isn't. You don't hear much from him and then suddenly He drops a mountain of music on you. This new record is just that: a mountain. There is so much going on throughout this "mixtape" it's hard to even keep track, but We'll try. Time and space are all blended together here, the song structure moves and shifts even within tracks leaving you off kilter from the jump. Flume's last album Skin was mostly produced in Los Angeles, a first for Flume, which gave it a more worldly, wide open feel to it. This album though feels more like his home, especially when you watch the music video which spans the entire length of the album. Flume feels like He is reconnecting with Australia here, and finding things there that are unexpected and inspiring. WE have classic Flume sounds and tones here, but they way everything comes together feels new and alive. There is almost no pressure with this record, likely why Flume decided to call it a mixtape, and it gives it this wide open sense. Sometimes dance music can really put itself in a box, but Flume breaks all that down. He manages to find space that is gritty and industrial but then transition it into this beautiful delicate display of color and light. He isn't just twisting nobs and making noise, He's elevating the art form into another space.

"Jewel" is one of those super special tracks that sort of bleep into existence then you never realize how you haven't heard it before. There are triumphant moments, but also those that feel like despair. "Dreamtime" with is disparate kicks and drops is almost more of a nightmare. You can feel the struggle deep within Flume to get this music out and what it means to him. This isn't just another EDM DJ putting out some shit to dance to, this is electronic music highly elevated. The problem with more experimental artists is they forget that the music has to at some point connect. You need to give the listener some kind of grounding for the song to be enjoyable, if enjoyable is even the point. That's where Flume separates himself from Aphex Twin, Arca and others in the experimental electronic arena, His music still feels real and not just an experiment in what can be done. "Is It Cold in The Water?" featuring and co-produced by SOPHIE is that experimental track with blistering skids and a punch that feels like a force of nature. This album overtakes you and fills your mind with sound and space that you've never imagined before. A truly stunning record from a man that keeps surprising us every single time.

9.2 out of 10