London Elektricity – Building Better Worlds (2019)

This is a true work of art. Tony aka London Elektricity challenges the limits of what can be called Drum’n’bass, and as the leader for Hospital Records and the godfather of Drum’n’bass, there couldn’t be a better person to do it. If you like his previous works, you will surely recognise the sound in tracks like #2 with Emer on vocals, or #5 with Elsa Esmeralda. He’s brought in another talented vocalist from Sweden, Bulgarian Goddess, and the uncredited Vonné whose voice is a bit similar to Liane Carroll’s on his older albums. It’s also nice to hear Inja, the inspirational rapper/poet who is one of the two MCs signed to Hospital. There are also some real surprises; opera singer Cydnei B on #1, and Tony’s 9 year old son rapping on #8! Almost all of the songs have an orchestral twist, with some real instruments from producer/violinist Natus and his friends, but mostly synthesised strings and brass from Tony’s imagined Orchestra Galactica. One of the most exciting tracks is #9, which starts off with a jazzy wurlitzer-based chord progression, and then drops with some help from producer/guitarist Urbandawn, but then goes into a 3 against 2 section with the craziest chord progression! The album drops a bit in quality towards the end; it could have done without the previously released #12 and #13. But it ends nicely with the soulful #14. Overall, I think this is LEs best release since Syncopated City in 2008.