Goldie has, for nearly 30 years, crafted a multifaceted career that has seen him go from a figure at the fore of the underground drum-and-bass scene to a livingroom fixture, acting in EastEnders and appearing on Celebrity Big Brother and Strictly Come Dancing.
His openness to new professional opportunities is certainly to be commended. His latest venture, Subjective, a collaboration with the producer James Davidson, takes him back to the studio shortly after releasing his third solo record, The Journey Man, in 2017.
Contrary to its title, Act I: Music for Inanimate Objects is full of life. Field recordings, sprinkled among scuzzy synth lines and harrowing drum patterns, provide interesting comparisons.
Children singing with infectious jubilation on the closing track, Inkolelo, are offset with a myriad of audacious percussive tones and tempos. This merging of light and dark sonic palettes is one of the more engaging moments on the record. Elsewhere, the nocturnal couplet of Silent Running and Re-Entry is exceptionally thrilling.
Unfortunately, this record is let down by its lyrics. But there’s more than enough to keep listeners entertained in the instrumental tracks.
