The Field: Cupid's Head Vinyl 2LP + CD

Swedish producer Axel Willner's work as The Field has always been compelling. His loop based compositions take their time to evolve through slight changes over their great expanse. He admittedly had some difficulty working on his latest, Cupid's Head. This may be cause for concern for some fans, but once you put the needle to the record you'll see that Willner seems to have over come whatever those challenges were. Along with being his fourth full length to date it is also his first since his debut that he's completed completely on his own. The krautrock elements provided by bassist Dan Enqvist and drummers John Stanier and Andreas Soderstrom are noticeably absent from this release. This is no reason to find any disappointment with the results, though. For those familiar with The Field it will feel like a return to his original form. Willner's trademark loops and mesmerizing effects are still intact and are pushed to the forefront with this release. Different elements drift in and out of the mix as a pulsing 4/4 kick keeps the momentum up. Vocal loops are joined by muted melodies awash in a sea of reverb. There's no denying the ethereal effect of The Field. There's a reason he keeps making music and we keep listening.

• music label: Kompakt 2013

reviewed by Michu Meszaros 10/2013