Sohn

Tremors (4AD)

Interminable frustration has never sounded so beautiful, and yet so isolated. Directly empowered by the likes of James Blake, Thom Yorke, and his own work with contemporaries Banks and Rhye, the self-produced Tremors lands Sohn near the top of today’s variant of blue-eyed soul. There’s no trickery in “Artifice,” a poppy tune updating an Eighties Steve Winwood, with its big chorus and layered, processed percussion. The Vienna-based, London-born artist shines on “Bloodflows,” the album’s standout, which heats up from atmospheric tundra to effervescent sunniness. “Paralysed” contains the most poignant line: “Nobody can slit my throat/ Nobody can leave me lying by the side of the road like you can.” Digging deeper and perhaps into the proverbial weeds, the album’s only dilemma lies in its remixing of influences, trusting what’s already worked instead of beating a fresher path. Whether we’re truly hearing Sohn or the further co-opting of soul, Tremors ultimately flourishes as a dazzling set of pop tracks. (1:20pm, Blue stage)

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This article appears in November 7 • 2014.

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Kahron Spearman is a journalist and writer with bylines including The Austin Chronicle, Austin Monthly, Consequence of Sound, Texas Highways, and the London-based journal The Break-Down. He currently serves as Senior Editor at Atmosphere TV.