Dan Snaith’s exhilarating third studio album under the Daphni moniker. Since the release of Caribou’s Swim in 2010, Snaith’s move away from IDM and psychedelic pop to house and techno has consistently matured with each record, regardless of what alias he’s using at the time. On Cherry, Snaith proves that his DJ-oriented side project carries just as much weight as his touring band. Track after track, Cherry is an eclectic mix of bangers, ranging from vibey minimalist synth pieces to chipmunk mbalax, a Senegalese style of dance music sampled on "Always There." "Falling," an edit of Surface’s "Falling In Love," gets downright vaporwave-y before launching into the bouncy "Mania" and the french-touch-esque "Take Two." Aside from the two singles "Cherry" and "Cloudy," none of the other tracks stretch far past the 3:30 mark, allowing Snaith to flesh out even his weirdest ideas, but never letting them overstay their welcome. The year might not be over yet, but Cherry is a heavy contender for the best dance album of 2022. 14 tracks on double black vinyl. Recommended.

• black double vinyl pressing
• music label: Jiaolong 2022

reviewed by SHH! 10/2022