Dark Matter
In the early 2010s, CamelPhat set themselves apart by combining the anthemic thrust of progressive house with the moods and textures of classic deep house, and over the next decade, the duo’s Dave Whelan and Mike Di Scala developed enough crossover pop appeal to net themselves a Grammy nomination for 2017’s “Cola.” CamelPhat’s debut album cycles through all the phases of their versatile sound. Wrapping nervous synth arpeggios around Jake Bugg’s distant vocals, “Be Someone” puts a pensive spin on Life and Death-style melodic house; the melancholy “For a Feeling” glances back at ’90s trance; the wistful, driving “Hypercolour” nods to the New Wave that once inspired Whelan and Di Scala’s bootleg remixes, pre-CamelPhat. “Panic Room,” featuring an irresistible hook from the Antiguan German singer Au/Ra, melds ’80s synths with one of their most epic productions yet, while the Skream collaboration “Keep Movin’” imagines a theoretical union between Depeche Mode and vintage Chicago house. Even Noel Gallagher shows up, with a yearning performance that gives “Not Over Yet” the feel of early ’90s Underworld. “Cola” is here as well, of course, in the form of an atmospheric “Dark Matter Edit” that makes the most of the duo’s flair for subtle drama.
The UK production duo call upon Noel Gallagher, Jake Bugg, Florence Welch and Foals' Yannis Philippakis for their massive debut