Experimental/Electronic charts

Review: Mike Paradinas doesn't need to prove anything to anyone, having helmed Planet Mu since electronica's breakthrough years while weaving his own idiosyncratic path through various strains of braindance along the way. Still, when he delivers an album it feels like an occasion, and Grush maintains the pace with a spectacular reflection on the broader sonic ideas he's been toying with for nigh on three decades. This album was crafted with live energy in mind - some tracks were written in the aftermath of particular gigs, some were written specifically to be played out - and the arc of the album is intended to evoke the flow of a live set. Along the way his instinct for sparkling melodies and needlepoint drum programming shine through, nailing a vibe between classic nostalgia and restless innovation like only he can.

Review: Mike Paradinas is a veteran producer and owner of Planet Mu but he keeps on serving up thrilling new sounds. Grush is his latest, a new album packed with energetic tracks that he hopes reclaim the "dance" element of IDM. Inspired by the melodic dance music of the genre's early pioneers, Grush blends sweetly nostalgic melodies with dynamic, road-tested rhythms. Many tracks were developed during times on the road and from the spiralling notes of 'Hyper Daddy' to the aquatic acid footwork of the title track, Grush traces Paradinas' musical journey with signature style and invention. With influences from early Black Dog to Drexciyan funk, it's a vibrant, live-inspired record that works in a wide range of contexts from the club to the sofa.