- Just as International Feel reemerged this year, label boss Mark Barrott moved to the forefront as a producer. In March, he dropped an EP as The Sonic Aesthetic, a release that spanned from the slow acidic rumble of "Mendicant Adventures" to the fluttery neo-kosmische of "The Paradol Chamber." But now, returning uncredited for Sketches From An Island 1, Barrott's unleashed the kind of sandy-haired beach anthems that might have been a mission statement for the label, had they arrived back in 2009.
Silky pads coast over beardo flute melodies on the excellent "Baby Come Home." It seems to want to submerge itself in the surf and float to the horizon, held ashore only by the earthy groove. Bird songs chirp into a gong-like backdrop before "Dr. Nimm's Garden Of Intrigue And Delight" begins its slow ascent into a heady Eastern getaway that sounds like a Bubble Club/Lindstrøm collaboration. "Island Life" is quieter, its sprawling guitar, astral flutes and synthesizer melody sounding like an alternate soundtrack to de Palma's Body Double. It's a beautiful and beguiling close to another standout EP for International Feel, and further proof that one of its most intriguing sonic beach bums is its owner.
Tracklist A Baby Come Home
B1 Dr Nimm's Garden of Intrigue & Delight
B2 Island Life