It's been a little while since we've gotten an album from Gold Panda. The Berlin based producer toyed with melody on his debut, Lucky Shiner, crafting some sublime moments of handmade elegance. Since that outing there have been a handful of singles and EPs, but nothing as big as Half Of Where You Live. It appears that his move to Berlin has helped to inform his sound. The album is filled with dark and cluby moments, that may be the most success Gold Panda has found with more dance oriented material. Coming slightly towards the front end of the album, "Brazil" is the best example of this. Its repeating rhythm and vocal phrase serve to keep things moving in a forward direction. There are plenty of microscopic IDM moments to be found as well. It's almost as if Gold Panda has taken a look back at the Morr Music days of Berlin techno. There's plenty of pitter-pattering micro-sampled sounds, with "The Most Livable City" being the most exemplary of this. Half Of Where You Live finds a transplanted producer exploring new sounds while cataloging his life moving through this modern world. 2LP housed in a die-cut sleeve, includes free MP3 download.

• music label: Ghostly International 2013

reviewed by Joey Coco 07/2013