After decades crafting some of England's biggest post-Y2K releases, Grammy-winning musician
Paul Epworth
made his official solo debut in 2020 with the lush interstellar journey
Voyager
. Unlike his work with pop and alternative acts like
Adele
,
Florence + the Machine
Coldplay
, and
Bloc Party
, the electronic-based LP finds
Epworth
drifting through space with an inspired crew of guests from the worlds of hip-hop and R&B. This cross-genre hybrid finds inspiration in '70s soul and funk, as well as in the synth-scapes of
Jean-Michel Jarre
and
Wendy Carlos
, which results in a wondrous dose of future nostalgia that sounds like
Gorillaz
tackling
Daft Punk
's
Random Access Memories
or
Pharrell Williams
given free rein on
Calvin Harris
'
Funk Wav Bounces
. Imaginative and atmospheric,
is best experienced in a single go, a headphone-friendly trip that expands the mind and gets the head nodding. Outside of the jazzy exploration of the instrumental title track, the album mostly relies on its guest stars, who shine with this fresh electronic material that falls outside of their usual wheelhouses.
Vince Staples
delivers a typically engaging verse on the uplifting opener "Mars & Venus," while
Ty Dolla $ign
lends a subtle and haunting touch to the hypnotic "Cosmos," which sounds like a
Frank Ocean
/
Travis Scott
collaboration in the best way imaginable. Lyrical emcee
Kool Keith
twists and turns through the intergalactic "Distant Planets," a gospel-backed cut that rides a steady beat along a distorted synth line that could be
's interpretation of Martian G-funk. Meanwhile, vocalists
Bibi Bourelly
Lianne La Havas
elevate their respective cuts, balancing the wealth of bars with sung vocals. While these well-known names give
immediate street cred, the album MVPs are actually rising rapper
Ishmael
and singer
Elle Yaya
, who both make multiple contributions across the effort and steal the show on "Mars & Venus" and "Binaural Trip." Elsewhere,
allows them to fully take the spotlight on the robust "Hyperspace," the boom-bap funk of "Space Inc.," and the trippy "Where Do We Come From?" While it might seem like there's a little too much going on here, the top-notch production, artistic collaboration, and devotion to the space-age vibe results in a satisfying and unexpected gem. ~ Neil Z. Yeung