Originally intended or inspired by a reaction to all things Brexit, Paul Alty’s new collection has ended up poignantly underlining much of what the world is struggling with right now – and simultaneously delivering a worthy escape from it.
Offering a skilful fusion of light and dark, both conceptually and compositionally, Infuturo presents complex ideas by way of smooth and engaging EDM escapism.
From ambient, sci-fi soaked beginnings that are Intro, Alty sets the scene and gets the imagination geared up, before dropping in with a classic dance title track that quickly raises the pulse.
Artificial Intelligence then moves things along from the good times to the contemplative and uncertain. There’s an eerie atmospheric depth to the track, reinforcing that sci-fi, Blade Runner-esque vibe, and drawing back any wandering attention.
While the album proves cleverly eclectic in this way, it’s not to the point of being irrelevant to itself – far from it. The journey in full is as complex yet emotional as daily life is for most humans, particularly at the moment. Artificial Intelligence is superb, rising up beautifully – a definite early highlight, addictively energising and quickly recognisable once you’ve heard it; the strong calling card of a worthy producer.
No Way Back furthers the darkness of the project, sinister beginnings again intrigue but progress into power and optimism; or acceptance and contentedness, at the very least.
Featuring a fuzz-soaked bass-line and contrasting fragments of higher-toned lightness, Dr. ? feels like the central march to the battle of the movie that is Infuturo.
Then we get the late night weight and relentlessly hypnotic rhythm of Jessica’s Magic – a classic EDM beast perfectly designed to inject high spirits into the end of the night. Alty’s compositional skills are laid out by means of a progressive, ever-evolving soundscape, which is incredibly immersive and loaded with sublime attention to detail.
The Futurist follows on with equal power, then blends gorgeously into the dreamlike melodic prowess of Machine Learning – a notably creative, story-telling instrumental, showcasing constant change and re-direction.
Then we get the welcomed sound of the natural world, and all prior hints of positivity emerge in full force for a peaceful and impressive The Optimist. Another absolute highlight, beautifully melodic, forever progressing from one moment to the next, and surrounding the listener in a long-awaited and rightful sense of possibility and hope.
An epic and quietly intense, beat-free wash that is the Max Frimout remix of Jessica’s Magic ends things in a similar vein to that in which they began.
Whether you take to this project for its conceptual depth, the way it provokes thought, or simply for the vibrancy it fills the room with – the desire to dance, the effective way in which it dissolves reality for a while – Paul Alty has made certain, as always, that the experience is more than worthy of your time.
Brilliant. A must hear for electronic music fans this lockdown.
Album out April 4th – Download or stream it here. Find & follow Paul Alty on Twitter & Instagram. Check out our interview with him for more information.
