SBTRKT - Sbtrkt

When a band is missing as many letters as Sbtrkt seem to be (you pronounce it Subtract, which seems cruelly obvious now), you have to wonder if anything got lost along the way. What else have they been forced to shed along the jagged and twisting road to success in the modern music world?

Thankfully, the one-man project (supplemented by a number of vocalists, including Swedish Woman of the Moment, Little Dragon) seems to have done the exact opposite. This debut self-titled album draws its rhythmic, percussive roots from a number of paths, with strong elements of Garage (I say strong; 'Right Thing to Do' is a dirty down tempo garage number), upbeat IDM and pulsing African percussion to create a modern dance album that fits into the niche carved out over the recent few months by the likes of Jamie XX and James Blake, but stands out with its powerful percussive beats which gets you dancing like no Blake track can.

The above track, one of my favourite on the album; showcasing the sparking, firecracker nature of the beats features a wonderful vocal from Sampha, who 'guests' on almost half the tracks on the album, and really is one of the centrepieces. I found his tracks to usually be among my favourites - 'Hold On' is a stunning Big City lamentation and the albums standout track, subtle vocal layering of Sampha's almost-cracking voice over ghostly xylophone and a pulsing beat, evoking an angry, lonely trek across London suburbs.

The album has been getting plenty of hype, with a Rough Trade Album of the Month showcase, some glowing reviews, but the hype really is justified. Some of the instrumental songs fail to linger on the mind, which is why I can't help but find myself wishing Sampha becomes a permanent fixture, but at least this way Sbtrkt won't be shoehorned into a certain sound or expectation when the second album comes along.

I caught their album launch gig at the Hoxton Square Bar a week before the album was released, knowing little about Sbtrkt, the songs or what to expect. Or even how to pronounce it. It was an outstanding little gig, perfect for the tiny back room stage at the venue, with an excited audience jumping around the floor, watching the sweat trickle off the African/Tribal/Shoreditch masks that seem to be the Signature Look, and generally having a fucking good time. Check them out at http://www.sbtrkt.com/index.php.