Previous releases from Andy Stott have sounded like getting dragged through the mud at a rave at 6am, or listening to an entire concert from the bottom of the ocean. It's late night drug music with the a dance framework still intact, but just barely. "Numb" keeps the late night part of the equation in place through hushed female vocals from Stott's former piano teacher, and only the sparest single thump of a drum, but where previous releases from Stott were difficult and often unsettling, there's a warmth here that feels completely new. It's never easy to change directions without alienating fans of your previous work, but with "Numb," Stott figured it out. The vibe might be the same, but the emotions that come with it aren't. Luxury Problems is out October 29th on Modern Love.
Stream: Andy Stott, "Numb" (via Pitchfork)
