JAY SHEPHEARD

HOME AND GARDEN (Retrofit)

17/20

In a genre where cohesive, solid artist albums are like an endangered species, house music aficionados everywhere have been gagging for this one. Jay Shepheard hinted that he’s a capable sort with a very accomplished RA Podcast this time last year, and he’s obviously spent the intervening time exceptionally well by crafting Home & Garden, a piece of future house that doesn’t have a single track that makes us wince. Free of happy-clappy house cliché, Home and Garden is remarkably dancefloor accessible and has many tracks distinguished by its difference to the last. Orbis Tertius is loaded with soft synth and emotion, Here Comes is slo-mo house with an innate sense of cool, Signs is an upbeat astro-disco hip-mover and album closer Two Much Love polishes off the record on a beautifully euphoric note. Finally, a benchmark standard of house music album has been established.

– – – – – – – – – –

Words: Thomas Frost