Inner Worlds

Less than a year after releasing the excellent full-length Dopamine, synth player Danalogue and drummer Betamax (who also both play in the Comet Is Coming) continued their genre-defying Soccer96 project with Inner Worlds. Moving on from the technological theme of the previous album, this one focuses on the mind and how it interacts with the events of the outer world. The release has much less of a cinematic flair than its lush predecessor, and often contains more tightened-up grooves. Opener "Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds" showcases the duos dazzling interplay, piling on vivid synth sequences and making tricky time signatures sound easy. "Speak More of Love" is pleasantly off-balance, with slow, wobbly synths set against fast, fluttering drums, and it all becomes elevated when the passionate vocals of soul/house duo the Colours That Rise enter the picture. Salami Rose Joe Louis, who sang on Dopamines luscious highlight "Sitting on a Satellite," returns on "Yesterday Knows Me," a much brisker tune with carefully controlled drums which edge slightly out of line at certain moments. The heart-racing "Adrenaline" is a whirlwind of lightspeed drumming and spooky, cosmic synths which erupt into ecstatic shredding near the end. Rozi Plain and Simbad enrich the slinky, slightly Cocteau Twins-esque "Gatekeepers" and the album concludes with "Triple Helix," a more melancholy cluster of feelings featuring bassist Tom Herbert. Inner Worlds more introspective nature makes for a much different mood than the dystopian vibe of Dopamine, but its just as distinctive, and equally worthy of attention. ~ Paul Simpson