Cheju - Homecoming
[U-Cover]

A two disc set of three inch CD’s houses the latest outing from Cheju, the electronica vehicle of Boltfish co-owner Wil Bolton. As part of Belgian imprint U-Cover’s mini-disc series, Cheju adds to his burgeoning back catalogue with eight tracks of his streamlined, richly melodic take on the electronic scene.

Cheju’s biggest asset revolves around the way he contrasts warm and often nostalgic analogue synths, think “Artificial Intelligence” and Future Sound of London, with contemporary programming capabilities that ride the crest of the cutting edge. Using synth patches doused in thick layers of melodic gloss, many of the tracks here create a reassuringly familiar feel. When adroitly married to his repertoire of beats – intertwining glitches adeptly placed static and deviceful clicks ‘n’ cuts – the results are consistently satisfying.

“Defect” is a major highlight with its dramatic synth backdrop, merged with twilight chimes and staccato micro-beats, as is the sinister melodic sheen and clockwork programming of “Embers”. “Cherryandcinamon” transports us above the clouds, with its swirling swoosh and lush, hazy resonance, while “Precinct” delves into down-tempo, albeit with a more inventive bent than the majority of those boring Kruder & Dorfmeister records.

In truth all eight tracks here are endlessly listenable, bustling with euphonic sounds around a fluid motif. “Homecoming” again displays Wil Bolton’s immaculate talent for creating expertly crafted helpings of canorous electronica.

Disc 1 Track Listing:

1. Cherryandcinnamon
2. Vita glass
3. Embers
4. Celeste

Disc 2 Track Listing:

1. Defect
2. Gone Again
3. Red Tin
4. Precinct