I first stumbled upon the magic of Palm Skin Productions in the mid-’90s when my big sister brought a copy of the Mo Wax album Headz 2B back from a term at university in the big city. The album was a revelation for this 15 year old country boy, to say the least, and it seemed that homegrown British boom-bap hip hop beats (uncomfortably dubbed “trip hop” by music journalists) might be taking over the world. But like any fragile sub-genre, once caught in a net and pinned to a board by the culture collectors, trip hop quickly began to lose its lustre. Some of the music was timeless, but the world quickly moved on…

Imagine my surprise, some 25 years later, when I learned that Simon Richmond (Palm Skin) was living in the same little South coast town as me, and had an album about to drop on Brighton label Tru Thoughts. Once I saw the tracklisting, I was even more intrigued, as the song titles read like a love letter to St Leonards On Sea, the town we both now call home.

After rudely demanding an advance copy of the album, I sat down to listen. Presented in mixed and unmixed versions, I’d urge you to dive into the mixed version of Other Times first, as this is where the real scope of the project comes to life (although there are of course standouts among the individual tracks).

In the intervening years since that Mo Wax debut, Simon has been busy working on projects with Depeche Mode, REM, Pulp and Neneh Cherry among others, as well as being a member of live improvisation crew The Bays, alongside Jimpster. Listening through Other Times, it’s a joy to hear how his style has evolved, while still being unmistakably “him.” Half-familiar samples weave in and out of languid, head-nodding beats before your brain has a chance to identify them, while plaintive piano chords rub shoulders with ambitious orchestral moments, never lingering long enough to become indulgent.

The low-key sumptuous groove of “Rock a Nore,” the neck-snapping bass heavy bump of “Lipper” and the soaring Rae & Christian-esque bounce of “Fairlight Glen” leap out on first listen, but this is a big album (26 tracks), so there’s plenty of room here for you to find your own favorites. Whether for work, study, road tripping or dinner, this LP can be the perfect soundtrack to all sorts of life moments, without ever being consigned to the background. If you, like me, end up listening to a little too much 4×4 House music at times, some Other Times might be just what you need.

Palm Skin Productions: Other Times (Tru Thoughts / Digital)
1. Palm Skin Productions: Other Times (Continuous Mix) (54:32)
2. Palm Skin Productions: Rule of 12ths (02:10)
3. Palm Skin Productions: East N East (02:58)
4. Palm Skin Productions: Seal Bobs (00:53)
5. Palm Skin Productions: Hag Stone (02:24)
6. Palm Skin Productions: S.T.O. (01:01)
7. Palm Skin Productions: Sea Glass (02:50)
8. Palm Skin Productions: Buoy 2 Buoy (00:54)
9. Palm Skin Productions: Rock a Nore (03:37)
10. Palm Skin Productions: Thermal Jammer (01:17)
11. Palm Skin Productions: Marine Court (02:39)
12. Palm Skin Productions: Bioprene (02:04)
13. Palm Skin Productions: Azur (02:50)
14. Palm Skin Productions: Afterdrop (01:36)
15. Palm Skin Productions: G41 (01:39)
16. Palm Skin Productions: Ice Mile (01:22)
17. Palm Skin Productions: Lipper (02:36)
18. Palm Skin Productions: Fetch (02:49)
19. Palm Skin Productions: Strawberry Moon (02:23)
20. Palm Skin Productions: Goat Ledge (02:53)
21. Palm Skin Productions: The Neap (01:23)
22. Palm Skin Productions: To The Gap (03:06)
23. Palm Skin Productions: Primary Swell (01:53)
24. Palm Skin Productions: Feels Like Zero (02:18)
25. Palm Skin Productions: Boots and Hats (01:35)
26. Palm Skin Productions: Fairlight Glen (02:33)
27. Palm Skin Productions: Mermaid’s Purse (03:13)

⚪️ Disclosure Statement: This record was submitted demanded as a promo.

This was originally published in #ReInvention: 5 Mag Issue #199 with Dance System, Lester Fitzpatrick, Roots Underground and more. Support 5 Mag by becoming a member for as little as $1 per issue.