Pleasant Square

Often the electronic meets acoustica idiom of bedroom bards and boffins (a subgenre I think I’ve just alliteratively named but not invented) is an unsteady fusion. Bad beats mix uncertainly with acoustic meanderings and whispery don’t-wake-the-neighbours groanings. Not with Robotnik. Breezy melodies, assertive diction and scratchy acoustic guitar sounds never ever sounded as at home with trebly beats and primitive Jean Michelle Jarre synth sounds as they do on this hometown classic. It comes from the brain cavity of a talented chap called Chris Morrin, who’s clearly been honing his craft for some time (or else he’s some sort of freaky prodigy). Sometimes he sounds like the Dandy Warhols with better songwriting chops, sometimes he sounds like the Folk Implosion, but less embarrassed at being good, and sometimes he sounds like Mellow Gold-era Beck, but more in control of his production skills. Mostly, however, Robotnik just sounds like Robotnik. At first my favourite song was ‘Michael Grady Went To Mexico’, because it was loopily poptastic with its crosscutting of shouty male singing, sweet female vocals and kick ass melodic action. But then for I while I was enamoured with the New Order-y beatz and sombre vocalising of ‘The Master’. Towards the end of this (hour long) record, a sense of West Coast sameness does creep into a couple of tracks. But there are 15 of them here and I estimate that 12 are cracking. So well done Robotnik, you’ve restored my faith in laptops.

Key Track: ‘Michael Grady Went to Mexico’