Detachment

It almost seems customary that certain types of dance music producers will make a more personal, experimental full-length debut after making their name with a series of dancefloor-oriented singles or EPs. Italian producer Simone Gatto is known for releasing dubby, funky house tracks and running the Out-Er label, but his full-length debut Detachment is a major departure. The album is inspired by Gatto's respect for nature and his anger at how humans are being careless and destroying it. He's far more interested in painting audio landscapes than simply concocting dancefloor grooves, and on plenty of tracks, he hints at the corruption of the world, using distorted tones and building tense, stuttering beats that approach the work of artists such as Lakker. Tracks like "Flux" and the simmering acid bath "Life Cycles" are far more urgent than anything else he's done, and with good purpose. This isn't to say that this is a harsh, pummeling, bleak album; he samples a lot of peaceful nature sounds and recordings from his family, and there's plenty of calmer moments. The album is just far more conscious and aware than one might expect, and Gatto's concern for the world really drives his work and makes it vital. The stunning album places Gatto in the league of non-American producers such as Orlando Voorn (whom Gatto has worked with) and D5, who take direct influence from the sounds and ideals of Detroit techno and add their own spin.