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May 22, 2018 Web Exclusive By Haydon Spenceley

The ascent of Jon Hopkins to the upper echelons of the electronica pantheon continues unabashed and unabated. Clocking in at over an hour of gloriously intelligent and equal parts groove and orchestrated cinematic brilliance, this truly is a tour de force from Hopkins. The muscular opening title track draws in the listener to a welter of synth leads lifted atop squelching drum patterns that weave in and out of distortion, threatening chaos which, beautifully, never quite arrives. Just when it seems about to lose control, the track subsides. A masterly composition.

This is an album to invest time and focus into. After the heady beginning, “Emerald Rush” gives a momentary rest before settling into a wonderful groove. “Feel First Life” is a beautifully understated, orchestral, and choral piece, whilst the gentle “Echo Dissolve” outdoes the majority of the output from the modern classical movement in recent times with a tremulous piano lead given plentiful space to make its mark. The beauty of Hopkins is in what follows: a 12-minute odyssey entitled “Luminous Beings” which manages to sound unerringly like its title, a truly beautiful moment on an album of beautiful moments.

Closing track “Recovery” feels like an attempt from Hopkins to offer exactly that, as once again a gently played piano melody takes center stage and the album wistfully fades away. This it may do, but Singularity is an album that will remain in the memory long after the final note is played and will demand repeated listens. (www.jonhopkins.co.uk)

Author rating: 8/10