- Analogue Attic has just released Alex Albrecht’s debut album Campfire Stories. With the ever-consistent Analogue Attic, Albrecht has produced a bevy great records since 2014 that showcase the 'gentle side' of electronic music down under. The album reflects his penchant for collaboration and improvisation, delivering a work that “explores dreams, the unconscious and the intertwining of feelings and memory”.

It starts off with the serene Puppeteer, setting the mood for the rest of the album with its soothing pads, live piano, and the characteristic field recordings. Sunshower has a jazzy, downtempo groove with what sounds like upright bass, silky piano and subtle drumming with brushes. The blissful atmosphere continues with Yarra Bend feat. Carla Oliver (of Badskin), the acoustic guitar fitting seamlessly into Albrecht’s atmospheric dreamscapes. I love the uplifting vibe and heavy percussion on the dreamy Forest From The Trees. The shuffly downtempo rhythm is matched by beatific chords before the syncopated bass comes in. It’s a stunning track, invoking the best of Gigi Masin’s newer productions with Johnny Nash and Gaussian Curve. Adam's Charm starts out spaced out and beatless before metallic percussion punctuates the ambience. There’s some sublime flute playing from Adam Haliwell (of Mildlife), like a glorious Iasos track or Paul Horn Inside The Taj Mahal but to a concise beat. Similarly the The Summit featuring the deft drumming Ziggy Zeitgeist (of 30/70) goes in a dance direction, the intricate drum rhythms almost alluding to drum-n-bass. Again Ziggy’s drums in Fairground are outstanding, showing off some Tony Allen level dexterity. We are taken out by the titular Campfire Stories with Thomas Gray and a little bit of spoken word from Allysha Joy against a soothing backing.

As ever, Albrecht’s songs marry acoustic and electronic elements masterfully. The tracks build and deliver while maintaining that spontaneous, improvised field. There are equal parts ambience, jazz and dance (which is hard to pull off). Again, Albrecht has given us a record with a lot of feel and finesse; I've come to expect nothing less.

- Hillfolk.