Kill The Lights

The latest artistic guise of Dylan Richards (formerly known as King Cannibal on Ninja Tune and Zilla on Warp), assumed since moving to Berlin from South London, House Of Black Lanterns delivers a defined change in vision and style. Retaining the earlier influence of DJ Krust's sprawling drum and bass soundscapes, Richards develops his sound to incorporate the dub-inflected techno textures of Rhythm & Sound whilst nodding to the catchy, yet occasionally bleak floorfillers of Trax, all inspired by the modern noir visual style of Michael Mann. 'Kill The Lights' is the first album project on Houndstooth, and is a masterpiece in genre-weaving, tied together by poignant emotional and effortless force. 'Names' featuring Leni Ward and 'Shot You Down', co-written by Alpines' Catherine Pockson, pack a softer punch; heavy on the intricate production but lighter on the dark atmospherics. 'The Walls Are Closing In' and 'You, Me, Metropolis' reconvene in the tripped-out, skittering techno basement where we found 'Truth and Loss' and somehow Richards combines these with ease, his sound simultaneously dark and startlingly original.