The debut album from Aaron Jerome was the record that just about everyone fell in love with. Establishing his own brand of lush electronica that straddled more than a few genre lines, the Masked Man created waves and cemented some future classics.
Now as we arrive at Wonder Where We Land, there is a marked sense that Jerome has aimed to stretch himself, but there are too many frustrating moments to declare an outright triumph. The first half of the album meanders and jerks about, bypassing the experimental and fast-approaching aimless fidgeting by the time the bizarrely strangled ‘Look Away’ featuring Chairlift’s Caroline Polachek rolls around.
Regular collaborators Sampha and Jessie Ware return, along with Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend who adds an oddball touch to latest single ‘New Dorp. New York’. Closing track ‘Voices In My Head’, featuring A$AP Ferg, adds some much-needed spice to the mix, a deliciously tight offering where the collaborator pulls equal weight to the composer.
The record might be slow to warm to, but the innovative stamp that landed Jerome on the map in the first place still shines bright.
SBTRKT doesn’t exactly miss the mark here, but look away if you’re after the dancefloor readiness of SBTRKT.
3/5.
Wonder Where We Land is out now through Young Turks / Remote Control.
