Airhead releases debut record ‘For Years’ on R&S

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Airhead releases debut record ‘For Years’ on R&S

Airhead_ForYearsArt-copy

After only putting out three 12”s since the release of Pembroke (his breakthrough debut single, produced alongside old friend and semi-frequent collaborator James Blake in 2010), Airhead has finally released his debut full-length titled For Years. While he keeps a low profile – hardly giving out interviews and maintaining a minimal social media existence – the British musician continues a busy schedule by playing guitar in Blake’s touring band and spinning records at Plastic People’s 1-800 Dinosaur parties.

Assuming the title of the record for R&S Records is in regard to the time it took to make (dating back to 2009), it’s always seemed like Airhead puts things out freely; that the drive to put his own music out into the world has never been particularly urgent. Nonetheless, this extended period of time used to bring all the elements of the album together has seemed to nicely divide it into two parts; the first being that of alternative post-rock, and the second the sort of post-dubstep experimentalism that Airhead has made his name on. Though, there also seems to be elements of the growing UK garage scene, Fault Line – track #8 on the record – was premiered on Gilles Peterson’s BBC Radio 1 program about a month ago and can be streamed below. This, and Mikola Bottle, seem to be the most straightfoward 4/4 club tracks on the record, with the latter adopting a future sound that we’re hearing more and more of from artists like Lapalux, Gold Panda etc.

Distinctively contrasting though is Autumn – a gorgeous pastoral folk song mixed with a swinging semi-dubstep-esque beat.

Artists from recent indie history like A Silver Mt. Zion, Cat Power and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs seem to be reference points throughout different tracks, and whilst an interest in this style of indie rock isn’t exactly unexpected, it’s rare to hear a musician so closely associated with dance music reworking it in such a different sphere. While I don’t think For Years was ever intended to be an incredibly game-changing album and a way to mark his entrance into the  scene proper, it’s great to see artists endorsing a unique sound; one that’s not often heard and can be exclusively identified as their own. This record is a selection of music that’s very underrated, often gorgeous, occasionally weird and just plain fantastic.

Tracklist

1. Wait
2. Milkola Bottle
3. Callow
4. Masami
5. Pyramid Lake
6. Azure Race
7. Autumn
8. Fault Line
9. Lightmeters
10. Knives

Pre-order on iTunes here – R&S will be releasing it June 24.

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