Built on Glass by Chet Faker

Fans of James Blake will be in heaven when drifting into this record. Chet Faker has gained some serious recognition through his debut EP and a few remixes, but with his debut album, Built on Glass, he’s clearly making the statement that that was just the beginning. Wrapped in electronica, downtempo and soul influences, the record is easily one of the most beautiful cohesive pieces to hit the shelves so far this year. The sound is easily relatable to Blake’s, but forces a stronger subtlety through its minimalist production work that enforces the strength of relaxed beats. Faker also incorporates a much heavier instrumental aspect through his tracks, falling heavily into smooth and intricate saxophone lines, simple guitar loops and heart-tugging piano. It’s the type of album that can easily be applied to any listening scenario, setting up beautiful soundscapes to calm the mind before sleep, remaining just subtle enough to be kept at low volume while pushing through work, yet still so gorgeous and multifarious it pleas for a focussed listening. Aspects of the production’s sound design are persistently trying, leaving the mind begging for answers as to how they were achieved. Faker’s vocals are so pressed and refined through their natural beauty. The compositions are relentlessly challenging, stripping away any typical perceptions of the genre. In fact the record, while classifiable into downtempo and soul primarily, sheds any typical perceptions of what such genres should encapsulate, instead freeing itself into a realm of limitless influences and inspirations. One artist to watch, Chet Faker, undeniably. ℗ 2014 Downtown Records