The Field – Yesterday and Today

It would be fair to assume that Sweden’s Axel Willner must have been scratching his head about what to follow up 2007’s essential From Here We Go Sublime with. Whilst an hour of minimal techno and surprisingly warm electronics was well received critically and genuinely appeared as a fresh, honest record, surely a follow up of exactly the same brand of tech-gaze (You heard it here first) would be seen as unoriginal, and fall flat on it’s face? Nein.

Willner’s follow up, Yesterday & Today , is brilliantly done; essentially maintaining the trademark sound of the previous The Field album, whilst knowingly upping his game across the board. Album opener, I have the moon, you have the internet reassuringly welcomes you back to the jittery synths and repetitive drum beats of previous works, whilst at the same time letting you hear how this album’s going to be different, ending in a clash of simply beautiful electronics. Title track Yesterday and Today shows off some seriously lush walls of synth, and ends in a jamming session between Willner and Battles’ John Stainer. Yes, the repetitive electronics and rhythms are still present, and there’s no a sight of a dancefloor hit, but oddly for a six track album lasting an hour, everything’s much more focused. Songs start out as somewhat cold, harsh electro; but steadily build into pieces of genuine warmth and character. Arguably what his previous album did, you might say. But whereas From Here We Go Sublime had the feel of an artist setting out his stall for the world to see, Yesterday & Today shows The Field at ease, doing what he does best. It’s the sound of an album not bending over backwards to impress; you can take it or leave it. I’d strongly encourage the former.

The Field - Yesterday and Today, 4.8 out of 5 based on 4 ratings