(04.08.08) Blue Shift Emissions is Chris H.’s long-awaited second full-length album for Scottish label Benbecula. Harking back to his warmly received and critically acclaimed debut, Pylonesque, Blue Shift Emissions is a return to the lush melodies and warm electronics that he is known for after 2005’s slightly introspective Seeing and Doing
EP.
Although, on the face of it, Blue Shift Emissions is a recognisable and perhaps retrospective look back at the days of the smooth melodic electronic music of the mid to late 1990s, a closer look reveals that this album has hidden depths. Subtly hidden and integrated into the warm swathes of electronic sound are elements of ambient, glitch, jazz and all manner of other influences cunningly processed, reinterpreted and redefined in Christ.’s own inimitable style. Beyond just melodic electronics, Blue Shift Emissions has a lush flowing layer of fluid texture over which lie sharp, occasionally glitchy rhythms, drum breaks, and subtle ambient accents that combine to produce a big expansive sound that flows and soothes the senses. Throwing in occasional sampled voices and all manner of subtleties, Christ. creates a luxurious flood of warm sound that lifts and encapsulates in a comforting cocoon of sound. Rightly confident in his own abilities, he even includes “Cordate,” a track recorded live in a single take for the album. Often incorporating elastic rhythms to counterbalance gentler ambient themes, Christ. produces a sound that incorporates elements from diverse electronic music styles to create his own brand of modern electronic music that is has the comfort factor of being seemingly recognisable yet exhibits a sound that is quite unique at the same time. His ability to do this and still produce interesting and original music is a skill in itself.
Blue Shift Emissions is an enjoyable album with warm tonal qualities, subtle melodies and smooth elastic rhythms that hints at long familiar electronic music styles whilst creating something new and interesting. Confident enough to dispense with the complexities and intricacies that are often found in modern electronic music, Christ. keeps it simple, relying on his ability to produce an album of lush electronics that will leave you with a warm glow inside and a smile on your face long after the last note fades away.
Blue Shift Emissions is out now on Benbecula.
