Chateau Chépère never misses (see Jacksonville’s Ski Jacket 87 and STL’s Partial Light EP), and the Sounds and Shapes EP settles right over the target.
Al Smith hails from Ireland and makes late nite tracks for the vanishing corners of the 24/7 afterhours world. While rambling between 117 to 125 bpms, Smith’s sound is as dense as marble and as delicate as a veil — a hypnotic, lush and soft percussive soundscape full of moody synths and propulsive rhythms. In places it resembles the heart of Drexciya, with those gorgeous celestial tones on tracks like the lead “Amber” transmitting from a source beyond human understanding. “Digital Ghetto” is something else: icy Juno keys primed like the melody of Frankie Knuckles’ “The Whistle Song” but chased by a brutal, single-note alarm sound. It creates a kind of tension, a fleeting feeling of freedom that’s lost the moment you stop chasing it.
The tempo ticks upward on Side B — still deep, still drunk on seafloor mosaics and ozone, but on its feet and with eyes wide open. “Sonic Equation” drives with a hypnotic pulse, dramatic pads and stirring FM synth-derived bells. Al Smith’s antenna is hyper-sensitive — it feels like there’s nothing left to chance on Sounds and Shapes, no happy accidents, just pure intention and a vibrant soundtrack for vibey 5am moments.
⚪️ Sounds and Shapes Tracklisting
Al Smith: Sounds and Shapes EP (Chateau Chépère / January 2026 / 12" Vinyl)
A1. "Amber" (7:10)
A2. "Digital Ghetto" (7:35)
B1. "Sonic Equation" (6:33)
B2. "Dream State" (7:58)
⚪️ Disclosure Statement
This record was submitted as a promo.
⚪️ Previous Coverage
✳ New Music: Jacksonville helms the brilliant Ski Jacket 87 EP for Chateau Chepere (2025)
✳ New Music: Partial Light is a double 12″ of witchy electronic psalms by STL (2022)
5 Mag Issue 223
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Sonic Blooms: First published in 5 Mag Issue #223 featuring Ardalan, LOVEFOXY, Richard Earnshaw, Oliver Dollar and more. Become a member for $2/month and get every issue in your inbox right now…
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