Sweden’s Alex Willner has returned to form on his third full-length for Kompakt Records. Fans let down by his last record’s penchant for choosing texture over composition will be pleased to find out that Looping State of Mind is a perfect synthesis of his knack for immaculate microhouse hooks and his growing interest in live instrumentation. Breaking away from the sonic confines of his earlier work, this record explores a vast array of ideas. From the outright banging first track “Is This Power,” to the near-infuriating, meditative closer “Sweet Slow Baby,” it’s a versatile record that can be enjoyed quiet and closely or loud and lavishly.
This article appears in Dec 8-14, 2011.