Urban Myth Club - Open Up

Open Up has been a long time in the making. Dance music collective Urban Myth Club released their last record Helium all the way back in 2006 and received mass critical acclaim for it, some even hailing it amongst the best downtempo albums ever released. They then took to the stage at Glastonbury, The Big Chill and an assortment of other festivals. And now, come 2011, they’re back – and one listen to their new album shows that the wait has been well worth it. Prepare to lose yourself in one of the most hypnotic, relaxing, entrancing albums you have ever experienced.

The music here is equally at home sound-tracking winter chills or summer bliss, and that perhaps is its strongest asset; how universal it is. Innovative but never so much as to alienate listeners... ambient, but with some real rhythm and groove interspersed without, particularly on opener Wake Up. As an album of contrasts, Open Up flows exceedingly well; each track sitting perfectly at home side by side with its neighbour. Vocal-led tracks give way to expansive, instrumental moments. The album has it all.

Trippy little acid house bleeps fizz away while the beats click and rustle; the sound of grass blowing in a warm breeze. Urban Myth Club’s music is evocative to the max. They have a keen sense for melody too. Take a listen to the Bjork-esque Surrender and dissolve in the sheer bliss of that chorus. Then there’s the Moby vibes on Coming Home, all futuristic and hyper-modern; the vocals crystalline and perfectly at one with the swelling synthetic strings in the background. It quite literally transports you away to another world, and the sheer power of some of these tracks can only be marvelled at.

Even more impressive though, is the fact that just when you think you’ve heard it all, the album turns itself on its head and pulls out an entrancing slice of acoustic heaven in the form of We Have Landed. Piano and delicately picked guitar; the charm is in the simplicity. And these touches seep out into the rest of the album, little pieces you pick up on more and more with repeat listens. Fragile harp strings, or the funky basslines on display in Fragile. This is an album that gives and gives. Pure magic.

Open Up is released February 28^th.