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This is the follow-up of sorts to 2001's exceptional debut 'Chiff Chaffs and Willow Warblers', very much a benchmark album in the awkwardly-titled sub-genre 'folktronica' and despite that ill-conceived pigeonhole a work that remains a thoroughly refreshing alternative to the wealth of increasingly generic electronica around. Though not a new album as such ('Rinse' collates the first two long-deleted EPs alongside extra tracks, on CD for the first time) this latest release from obscenely-gifted twenty-six-year-old Bristolian David Edwards is at least on a par with his previous material, and indeed with any of his supposed contemporaries (Fourtet being the obvious/lazy reference point to draw). Incorporating ambient, electronic, hip-hop and even 'chill-out' elements without ever being in danger of falling into one bracket or another (thankfully not the latter, for sure), the music created herein is warm, engaging, atmospheric and ultimately simply beautiful. The depth of the overall sound and the complexity of the processes involved contradict the bedroom production methods responsible - and this is where Edwards' real talent lies. Many have failed to achieve something as complete and all-encompassing with more kit and budget to hand, proving that there's no substitute for the imagination and creativity of the artist.

Andy Slocombe
CWAS #13 - Autumn 2003

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