LUCA SANTUCCI and Ben Fitzgerald, the British electronica duo who fire a line into electronic soul through techno, house, synthpop and more, are back, with their first album in more than eight years set to be released on One Little Independent come summer.
That self-titled debut from back in 2012 got the plaudits from the pundits, and it made Rough Trade’s top 20 albums of the year; no mean feat.
But they’ve been quietly honing their craft, arriving at a truer, purer version of themselves – see what you think for yourself with the first single drop, “Made Of Static”, below.
Brooding electro-soul is the name of the game, but there’s so much more going on texturally; I fancy a little pre-stadium Depeche Mode, say circa Black Celebration; a darker Hot Chip. The percussion is grainy and clicky and counterpoints Luca’s honey smooth, easy vocal tones. It’s both luscious and off-kilter eerie; future soul indeed.
Ben’s production and machine sounds are rawer than previously; you’d even say there was some Berlin chill bleeding through the cracks.
Stubborn Heart’s Made Of Static will be released by One Little Independent digitally, on CD and on vinyl on June 4th; you can pre-order your copy here.
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