- A survey of Blawan's recent EPs raises a contradictory notion: as his music adheres to techno specifically, it becomes less specific to him. His TERNESC records conveyed the thunderous tendencies of Fram and Peaches, but Jamie Roberts' vocabulary has expanded alongside an adoption of modular synthesis and several years spent with Pariah as Karenn. These days, drums rarely lead the charge, and vocals were last heard on His He She & She. Even considering his ability to change course as an artist, Blawan's debut as Bored Young Adults is a surprise package. Of all his records, it's the first to withdraw into itself. "Shy Dancers On Bungalowdorf Beach" begins with a funereal horn, and the pace of what follows resembles a procession more than the stampede typical of a Blawan record.
To be clear, it still bangs. Roberts' reserve is relative, as "Check Up From The Neck Up" demonstrates. Built from rusted percussion and an undulating drone, "Check Up From The Neck Up" has a skipping gait that recalls Roberts' early explorations of UK dance music. But Shy Dancers On Bungalowdorf Beach isn't a comprehensive synthesis of old and new. It casts a narrow focus on texture—the dirtier, the better. On the title track and "Check Up From The Neck Up," that can be a little drab. "But We Need This Bench," however, bonds earthy tones to sparkling chimes, coiled around the track like Christmas lights, and sweeping synth pads. It's a glimpse of a producer lightening up, not slowing down. As Bored Young Adults, Roberts takes an opportunity to explore another side of himself.
TracklistA1 Shy Dancers On Bungalowdorf Beach
B1 Check Up From The Neck Up
B2 But We Need This Bench