It may come as a surprise that it’s actually pronounced as “subtract”, perhaps not as obvious of a name as techno duo MSTRKRFT’s name (“Mastercraft”) then again the album isn’t obvious either. SBTRKT comes with a debut that is a blend of techno delights. It isn’t in your face, which is the intention of the UK producer who would rather support anonymity and let the music speak for itself; which is partially why he wears a mask to disguise his identity. SBTRKT would “rather not talk about myself as a person, and let the music speak for itself. The name SBTRKT is me taking myself away from that whole process. I’m not the most social person, so having to talk to DJs to make them play a record is not something I want to do. It’s more about giving them a record as an anonymous person and seeing whether they like it or not. If they play it, they play it.” Which, in some respects is brilliant.
SBTRKT has made a name for himself by remixing tracks for acts such as M.I.A. and Basement Jaxx, so it was unclear on what his debut would bring to the table. The record has some significant emotion, which is rare in an electronic album. It has soul, partially because of the guest artists (Sampha, Jessie Ware, Roses Gabor, and Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano) partly because of the well arranged beats, synths, and bass.
SBTRKT is a chill album, it never reaches a climax where I want to get up and dance but certainly gets head bobs every track. Each has a slight different sound, while at the same time maintaining a consistent feel that is unified as a cohesive album. It is fun, sexy, and soothing to listen to. There aren’t any tracks that particularly pop out as a standout, but “Wildfire” would be among them. It would be a good album for cruising around town, or for studying. Another thing that is notable about the album is the fact that it is accessible to anyone, virtually any age or culture can appreciate the mix that SBTRKT has put together, its never too rap, r&b, electronic, or bassy; it’s never too much anything except a fun album to listen to.
Bottom Line: SBTRKT can hide behind a mask all he wants, as long as he maintains the great quality of this album.
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