Neu Airhead

: Robert McAndrews
Based: London
Listen: R & S Records Soundcloud
Similar to: James Blake

Amid Olympic fever, Union Jack jumpsuits and goodness knows what else, it’s strange to think that lurking somewhere beneath the patriotic liveliness that graces London today are several producers, locked up in dark basements, skewing all manner of sounds through spectrums a million miles away from the Olympic Park.

Robert McAndrews is one of these mysterious figures. Welcoming comparisons to James Blake - albeit largely because he shares a label with the platform Blake kick-started his career from - his success has to date rooted itself in London clubs and ‘online praise hubs’ (blogs) in the U.S. Some might say he’s one Feist cover away from a top 10 album. Others might suggest he stick to the likes of ‘Wait’ (stream below) - a strangely uplifting track, sampling Karen O’s vocals in the loosest sense of the word - and ‘Pyramid Lake’ - far darker, even hinting at a “maximalist” direction. Electronic music it’ll always be, but there’s a divine soulfulness to these works, something akin to very little out there right now. Stream ‘Wait’ below and see what we’re on about:

Pre-order the ‘Pyramid Lake’ single on R&S Records, due out 27th August.