Bomb the Bass

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When Bomb the Bass released Future Chaos in late 2008,

it had been nearly a decade in the making. Now, barely a year later,

Tim Simenon is back with a new album whose accomplished

songwriting and sonic scope belie the spontaneity with which

it came together. The title says it all: Back to Light.

The dusky atmosphere of Future Chaos has given way to a more radiant sound, buoyed by

waves of synthesizers and propelled by clean-lined grooves. Raising the tempo, Simenon

takes inspiration from classic techno, while vocal contributions from Richard Davis, Kelley

Polar, The Battle of Land and Sea, and Paul Conboy bring Bomb the Bass into newfound

melodic focus. It's a brighter, more immediate sound than before; warmer, too, with the singers'

voices positively glowing inside intricately woven electronic nests. But there's no lack of

nuance. Every track is a delicate balance of intimate delivery and cosmic sonics, underscored

by a faint sense of melancholy.

The final song on the album features a guest appearance by none other than Depeche

Mode's Martin L. Gore, who plays synthesizers on the closing song, "Milakia."