Review:
Gavin Sutherland isn't perhaps the most prolific producer in the Prime Numbers canon. Since making his debut in 2002, the Scottish producer has released just four solo singles - the most recent being last year's well-received About Time 12" - and contributed a handful of tracks to various Firecracker and Prime Numbers collaborative EPs. For those who dig his atmospheric and at times heady sound, it's been a frustrating experience. Perhaps he was saving himself for this debut full-length. Now About How largely explores his previous themes, showcasing a densely layered, occasionally downtempo take on dance music that's never less than intoxicating. Now About How is a true basement soul album. While firmly rooted in deep house (check the swampy Detroitian vibes of "Shake Out"), it never settles into one comfortable, predictable groove. Its heady, emotion-rich grooves include warm, melodic two-step and future garage flavas ("Polo", the jazzual "Silent Statues"), lazy Balearica ("Mind Swamp"), dubwise slo-mo grooves ("If We're Gonna Go") and dewy-eyed downtempo beatscapes ("It's The Music"). It's eclectic, no doubt, but thanks to Sutherland's delicious production and strangely distant vocals, Now About How hangs together marvelously.