Re-Flex legend Paul Fishman returned at the end of 2019 with his first solo album in over 15 years. It may seem like an odd time to bring out a new album but now, Fishman has released Part II of his ambient odyssey, It’s About Time.
If you were a fan of part I and were expecting more of the same, do not be deterred by the unfamiliar flavor of part II. To begin with, Fishman trades ambient whooshing sounds for distorted guitar and builds up beats that you can really dance to. It’s like listening to an entirely new record and yet together, part I and II are an example of how the whole is greater than its parts.
The opening track and single “Over & Out” is an instant album highlight. In the music video, a blinking eye on an old-school television screen twitches to dirty guitars and dark ambient synth. If you ever wondered what would happen if Dave Gilmour teamed up with Aphex Twin, we are assuming it would sound a little something like this.
The subsequent track “Tube (Hijack of the Northern Line”) has a heavy London feel. It captures a pulsing thirst for adventure during the evening commute. “Pump (The Whitfield Effect)” toys with an array of unusual sounds and plays with genre left, right and center. You can hear in this section of the album that Paul is having fun with his music. His soundscape is a canvas filled with surprising elements and this experimental crisscrossing of genres will likely divide electronic music fans down the middle.
“Quantun World” on the other hand, has a wind-down feel like the early morning of a rave. Like the subsequent track “For Eva”, this section of the album has a more melancholic, dark ambient feel. “Sixty-4” is also slower and more atmospheric. It is this part of the album where we can hear the influence of Paul’s film composition days.
The album closer “Exit – Before & After Life” is the perfect end to a well-rounded double-album. The nine-minute track combines a range of elements from across the record, mixing atmospheric ambiance with swirly synths and gritty guitar. It’s like the climactic closing track of a dramatic movie and it is a testament to Paul’s eclectic and impressive career as a producer, composer, and musician. We just hope that this isn’t the last we hear from Paul Fishman.
4.5/5
