Kadhim’s totally hot album of the week #12

The scientifically-dubious ‘most depressing day of the year’ has past us by without running aground, and unless you’re Maggie Dallman, you’ll probably make it to the end of the month without being publicly humiliated. Let’s shake off these January blues and start living again. Ernest Gonzales, let the beats roll.

There’s a lot to be happy about. The days are growing longer, scary American internet legislation appears to have stopped struggling under the water and died [well, not quite], and “that terrible thing I did on New Year’s Eve” (don’t ask...) is receding comfortably into the distance; the perfect moment for an album like Natural Traits to come along. It has an infectious optimism that makes you feel like going out clubbing, but just for the dancing (people do that, right?)

Although they say never judge a book by its cover, and in truth I distrust people who say that, I first listened to this album because the album art is gorgeous. But it instantly wrapped its arms around me and had me hooked. ‘The Prudence of Evolution’, the opening track, builds layer upon layer carefully and methodically, like a bricklayer building an impressive wall of sound before your very ears. He makes full use of the broad spectrum of electronica and shows just as much skill brewing soulful deep house as he does mixing fuzzy bass with 8-bit beats.

However, the album has its faults. At times you begin to wonder whether his influences, unconscious or otherwise, have crept a bit too obviously to the front row. “Ah, he’s channelling Four Tet there; this track is a bit M83; hold up, has he just ripped off the guitar from Blue Sky Black Death?”

But it would be a disservice to make too much of this. For a start, I’m probably wrong, but more importantly, Ernest Gonzales hits that perfect spot between ambient and body-moving beats in the same way that Gold Panda does. This is an eminently addictive and satisfying album.

That said, we’re not talking Lucky Shiner-esque brilliance here; I’m yet to find an album that tops Gold Panda’s debut. Speaking of which, if you’ve found one, drop me a line. (Or ‘holla’, as I believe some people say...)

If you want to ‘holla’ at me (yo), you can find me pissing into the wind on Twitter @kadhimshubber. Alternatively, tweet @ernestgonzales and ask him if he’d like to make a donation to the ‘That Thing Kadhim broke on New Year’s Eve’ fund.