Over the past few years, both solo and with Walls, Sam Willis has been constructing beautifully textured pieces of ambient pop. Melding drums to what would otherwise be good ambient material on its own, is a risky move, but Willis, who clearly owes a lot to Wolfgang Voigt's Gas project is good at restraint, adding a precise drum hit when necessary, but otherwise letting his music breathe. That history is why "Foxglissandro" might come as something of a shock to those who like to be soothed as they dance. It's probably one of Willis' more "traditional" tracks. He's upped the business with ping ponging synths and a sleek bassline, but manages to keep all the texture and hum that made us pay attention in the first place in tact. Willis' Winterval is out November 5th on Half Machine Records.
Stream: Sam Willis, "Foxglissandro" (via Pitchfork)