Debut full length from White Material co-founder, DJ Richard. Grind takes off from his earlier material, moving away from the rough and ready tracks of his 12" releases towards a more serene and melancholic take on house and techno. The album places Berlin synthetics against the noisier textures of the American underground. Constant tones move throughout DJ Richard's music as dissonant arpeggios and melodies rise up from the depths, surfacing for air before diving back into the abyss. There's a deceptive element of simplicity to most of the songs that make up the album. They all appear to be made of a spartan amount of parts, even the drums are restrained. But the tracks expand and contract as they move through their arrangements, bending time in the way that only some of the best electronic music can. Let yourself get lost in the subtleties of "Savage Coast," "Bane," or "Nighthawk" and you might find it difficult to find a way out. There are dark, claustrophobic moments that open up into worlds of ambience, alongside emotive techno workouts and dance floor gloom.

• music label: Dial 2015

reviewed by Joey Coco 09/2015