Immunity

Compared to the organic folktronica of Jon Hopkins’ preceding strum ‘n’ bass album, Diamond Mine, 2013’s Immunity is a departure in both music style and sonic texture. The former built an imaginative balance from the contrasts of electronic soundscapes rubbing against the grain of wood and wire. But with Immunity, Hopkins’ yin and yang swirl sublimely. The opening song, “We Disappear,” somehow makes techno sound light and breezy. On paper, the stuttered beats, rusty percussion, and deep bass should sound angular and abrasive. But under Hopkins’ touch, the elements here combine to sooth the senses with a feel that’s similar to reclining in a leather seat in the first-class section of a 747. “Open Eye Signal” follows, with more downplayed rhythms and tones gently pulsing and droning alongside what sounds like brushes on a snare drum. “Breathe This Ear” returns us to a time in the mid-'90s when British shoegazers like Slowdive were collaborating with the ambient electro backdrops of Seefeel. “Collider” brings some innovation to this marriage with cleverly collaged samples of singer Lisa Elle (Dark Horses).