Making me want for spring to get here already. Tycho's sound has become ever more expansive and bright, further reaching the amber tones that he's hinted at on earlier releases. Awake, Scott Hansen's fourth full length as Tycho, sees the San Francisco-based visual artist and musician branch out from his bedroom productions. It's his first effort as a three piece band and the results are striking. There's an intensity to the songs that was not there before. And it seems that the addition of Zac Brown's guitars and Rory O'Connor's drumming has allowed Tycho to move away from the melancholic synths and dusty beats that invited so many comparisons to Boards of Canada. It's still Tycho though, we're just that much closer to the sun. There's a sense of subtlety that runs through Tycho's recordings that, thankfully, is not lost with the addition of live instrumentation. Hansen maintains his grasp on all the elements at play within the music. One gets the feeling that the songs could have grown into larger jams, but Tycho keeps things brief. The 8 songs presented fill out a minimal 35 minutes, but every one is an enjoyable moment. Includes free download.

• black vinyl pressing
• music label: Ghostly International 2014

reviewed by Michu Meszaros 03/2014