UK producer, DJ and live performer Paddy Thorne’s Lost Cause Pt. 2 is an album of quality techno-tinged electro and, without wishing to labour the point, electro-tinged techno. Across ten tracks, some of which he’s apparently been working on since 1997 Thorne delivers weighty but subtle funk-filled electro beats which are then covered in rich chord pads, tinkling synths and heaps of fat acid lines.
Detroit is obviously an influence here, particularly in the acid squelch/warm-pad combo of tracks like “In My Mind” and “Simpler Things” and the mood is generally spacey, cosmic electronic-funk, with a hint of melancholy to some of the melodies. It’s mostly in the 125-130ish BPM range but he also drops in a sonic-palette cleansing D&B-tempo track, “Massively Distorted,” halfway through.
It sounds like there’s plenty of sound design going on throughout and Thorne’s rhythms tracks have a box fresh feel to them too. “Deep Zone” provides a little more of a house flavour, but not in a 909 beats, Juno b-line, disco vocal sample way, this is house music that’s a little more future-facing.
Perhaps it’s the fact that this music was worked on over a long period of time that gives each track its own unique flavour. But Thorne also has a particular style and set of influences too, so the whole album has a sonic cohesion. Finally, there’s a refreshing lack of ambient filler or throwaway intro/outro tracks: instead you just get a set of solid, techno-tinged electro jams for when you fancy giving your dance floor a drifty, spacey, funky vibe for awhile.
Paddy Thorne: Lost Cause Pt. 2 LP (Mighty Force / Limited Edition CD / Digital)
1. Paddy Thorne: Simpler Things (05:34)
2. Paddy Thorne: E.A.ONE (05:09)
3. Paddy Thorne: Empty Visions (05:22)
4. Paddy Thorne: Green Theme (06:32)
5. Paddy Thorne: In My Mind (06:06)
6. Paddy Thorne: Massively Distorted (07:37)
7. Paddy Thorne: Define Anointed (06:43)
8. Paddy Thorne: Rendered (05:54)
9. Paddy Thorne: DeepZone (05:56)
10. Paddy Thorne: Best Before 2022 (06:00)
⚪️ Disclosure Statement: This record was submitted as a promo.
