- Synth-soaked breakbeats.
- Matt Cutler is one of electronic music's consummate album artists, but his Ambivert Tools series showed he could make straight-up dance floor tracks with as much personality. His new label, Ancient Astronauts, is a low-pressure outlet for his tracks while he works on his next LP. "Abraxas" is one of Lone's splashiest tracks in some time. Its dusty, old-school breakbeats will appeal to anyone who's loved a recent Eris Drew set.
Of course, this is Lone, so "Abraxas" also has a synth-soaked breakdown where the drums pull back and twinkly melodies float in. The squelchier "Young Star Cluster," focused around the Funky Drummer break, could have used more of those melodies—by the time its breakdown arrives, the loop has run its course. (That's the danger with using such a rinsed sound.) Where "Abraxas" is the big tune, "How Can You Tell" is the sleeper hit. The breaks are gentle, held up by a slo-mo jungle bassline that coasts through the silky synth backdrop. Abraxas, Cutler's contribution to the breakbeat revival, is characteristically smooth and playful.
TracklistA1 Abraxas
A2 Young Star Cluster
B1 How Can You Tell