- Reggie Dokes' previous record―Once Again, on Royal Oak―may have been fairly straightforward. But with Child of the Sun, his first this year, the house lover shows a reluctance to be pinned down. The eponymous track is about as erratic as they come, throwing bright slivers of melody headlong into the mix and scattering them the second they arrive. Hang on long enough, however, and the pieces start to assemble themselves into more coherent loops. It's like watching a window smashing in reverse.
"Funk Below" sounds like last year's "Haiti"―from the aforementioned Once Again―only all juiced up on opiates. It employs a similar piano loop, but this time the keys drift along in a contented narcotic daze, rather than bounding forward. Dainty pads float alongside in a similar fug, adding to the spaced-out mood. The real curveball, however, is "Make Believe." It's a meaty techno stomper; the kind of thing Marcellus Pittman or Omar-S might put together. And it marches, quite literally. The mass of jackbooted, goosestepping soldiers it evokes sound like they're at the window. Onto this indefatigable foundation, there's really only one serious addition: a gyrating, buzzy synth which spreads the focus around somewhat. As a result, what could have been a repetitive, tedious cut is instead hypnotic and almost infinitely replayable.
Tracklist A Child Of The Sun
B1 Funk Below
B2 Make Believe