About this item

As we all struggle to deal with the sorry state of Earthly affairs, Darren Cunningham answers the Batcall and returns with a brand new Actress LP on usual haunt Ninja Tune. The producer recently resurfaced with his self released mixtape '88', a sparse and stripped back set of low slung house crunch, electro madness and uncompromising techno coated in a thick patina of fuzz and feedback. 'Karma & Desire' then is a comparatively expansive and accessible affair, replete with vocal contributions from the likes of Sampha, Zsela, Aura T-09 and Christel Well.

Billed as “a romantic tragedy set between the heavens and the underworld", the set serves us a string of retro-ist house and techno heaters, balancing a fragile beauty, in the form of soulful vocals or delicate keys, with the grit and growl of hissing drum machines and gnarly basslines. Naturally Darren avoids playing with a straight bat, twisting the traditional styles with the chopped and screwed sound design he excels at. If singles and stompers are your thing, look to "Angels Pharmacy", "Loveless" and the meditative closer "Walking Flames", but really this album works best when enjoyed in its entirety. 

TRACK LISTING

Fire And Light
Angels Pharmacy (feat. Zsela)
Remembrance (feat. Zsela)
Reverend
Leaves Against The Sky
Save
VVY (feat. Sampha)
XRAY
Gliding Squares
Many Seas, Many Rivers (feat. Sampha)
Loveless (feat. Aura T-09)
Public Life (feat. Vanessa Benelli Mosell)
Fret Loose (feat. Christel Well)
Turin (feat. Aura T-09)
Diamond X
Walking Flames (feat. Sampha)