Claustrophobia

Scuba's musical biography has been a story of constant change. Over the past eleven years, his music has zigzagged through bass, techno and house, at times dark and contemplative, at others bright and anthemic. A look at his discography bears out this creative restlessness: from the shadowy rhythms of A Mutual Antipathy and Triangulation, through the soaring melodies of Personality and the cardinal 'Adrenalin' EP. Claustrophobia is more than just the next phase in this development - it's a culmination of everything that's come so far. As it's name implies, the record is tense and inward-looking, but it's also rich and dynamic, nimbly moving through a panorama of moods and styles. Rhythms expand and contract from one song to the next, textural passages give way to shimmering strands of melody, found sounds and field recordings breathe life into ambient sketches. The album is modern and understated throughout, but also touched with something unrestrained: the exhilarating energy of classic rave.