Beyonce’s self-titled 2013 album was a surprise in many ways, not least because of the presence on most of the tracks of a then unknown producer called Boots.
After that starry intro, Jordan “Boots” Asher attracted work from FKA Twigs and Run the Jewels, though he was obviously also angling to get work out under his own name too.
Aquaria is a dark, sinister, twitchy affair, an album where Asher's enigmatic way with melody creates sometimes alluring tension when it rubs up against more clamorous and dense atmospherics.
It’s electronic pop without the mainstream bells and whistles, though it’s worth noting that there’s little of real adventure or risk-taking here either.
It's as if Asher is hedging his bets, not quite sure if he should continue to explore the menacing alienation of Earthquake or return to mining the melodies which served him well when he worked with Beyonce.
On this outing, he’s a producer very much in need of a producer’s touch.
