Lapalux - Lustmore - Ransom Note

Music

“Whenever I think about the album I think about the bar scene in The Shining,” Lapalux said recently “There’s something about that strange, hallucinatory, psychological madness that relates to the music.” This is a fair assessment of Stuart Howard’s new album, Lustmore. While writing and arranging the album, Howard was influenced by soundtracks. This comes across in Lustmore. Anyone who’s heard a Gabriel Yared or Vangelis soundtrack can’t help but pick up their presence.

Opening track 'U Never Know' features the husky vocals of Andreya Triana. It’s a wonky soundscape that sets the album up perfectly. It tells you that this isn’t your run-of-the-mill electronic album. It has substance and things are always what they seem. 'Sum Body' is full of constant and ever-changing loops and delays. 'Midnight Peelers' has a cinematic feel to it. It’s reminiscent of Cliff Martinez’s Drive score in its reimaging of 1980s synths but with an element of sleaze and filth added for good measure. 'We Lost' gives us a rare opportunity to hear Howard sing. The song is about the end of a relationship. It has a R&B groove but is grounded through glitch beats and woozy synths. 'Puzzle' sees Triana back in the fold. It’s a simple song that has been ripped apart and put back together to create four minutes of future soul. 'Don’t Mean a Thing' is an anomaly on the album. It is consistent with what has come before it, but at the same time it is a lot harder than the rest of the album. It twists and skews through Aphex Twin territory, but there is an element of Ry Cooder to it too. It’s the stand out track on the album.

On his debut album Nostalchic, Howard showed he wasn’t a flash in the pan and could deliver a consistent album. Lustmore shows that he’s more than a woozy glitch peddler. He has created thirteen tracks that on the surface tick all the boxes, but after repeat listens you realise how rich an album Howard has created. More of the same please!