Review Summary: the perfect follow up to "One of Us", and quite an engaging dubstep album.
Kryptic Minds's version of dubstep in his debut album, though intelligently employed, was a bit too cautious. In my review, I described the album in terms of its cave-like ambience, how it not only exuded the sounds of the cave, but how the listening experience seemed rather fascinating until the listener realized that they were standing, alone, in a cave. Its minamilistic approach was admirable and even fairly effective, but it wasn't bold enough, not as engrossing as it should have been, and thus its lasting appeal was taken down a few notches. Nonetheless, when I learned that Kryptic Minds was making a follow up to
One of Us, I had high hopes. Simon Shreeve (the producer of Kryptic Minds) clearly has skills, but some elaboration on his ideas would have been appreciated. Enter
Can't Sleep, the fixer of previous problems.
Can't Sleep sees Kryptic Minds doing what he does best - dark, haunting beats. Kryptic Minds's beats have become restless, meaning (dare I say it) a certain amount of catchiness, while containing a dark atmosphere. His intelligent approach to dubstep still resides, but in a way that is slightly bassier, and also with a larger assortment of sounds than before. With all said notes being of positive consequence, the album has a fuller atmosphere than before, one that is akin to diving in a cave's pool rather than simply walking into a small, dry, empty cave. Every listener's experience will vary, of course, but it's still safe to say that this album is better executed than
One Of Us, with a greater replay value.
With the addition of catchier, less drowsy beats,
Can't Sleep is more memorable than its predecessor, but the ability to be memorable does not solely ensure its longevity. What's great about the album is that it's completely engrossing. Although his previous material did have an intriguing atmosphere, it wasn't necessarily consuming. This album is denser and darker, putting you right in the middle of the thick black with only a flash light. The funny thing is, although Simon has greatly improved his game, it still plays similarly, and that's excellent news for those that enjoyed his debut material - it sounds familiar, yet feels completely different.
Can't Sleep is the perfect follow up to
One of Us, and a superb dubstep album in its own right.
