Andrew Spackman - Milton Keynes Shopping Trip

Released: September 20

Roughly following the course of a single day in his youth, Milton Keynes Shopping Trip is a rather adventurous album from Andrew Spackman. The story is meandering but the soundtrack to that story is oddly captivating with faded horns showing up regularly throughout the album and a lot of eclectic accompaniments to them. I have to point out the horns because they seem to been a pretty unifying factor in the roughly half hour runtime, consistently appearing and bringing ac retain touch to each track that I can’t quite put my finger on, but throughly enjoy. 

Each track has its own variances in sound selection, but they all share a certain dreamy quality and a fogginess that permeates all elements, including percussion when present. The first track, “Awakening” sets this theme up, most notably when the kick drum comes in with a set up in the background vibe that sounds like you’re hearing it faintly from outside of a club or other venue in a four on the floor pattern. It gives club vibes but the surrounding sounds undercut that vibe beautifully with all manner of abstract sounds that resist being wrapped up in the rhythm. Most of the other tracks eschew any sense of rhythm in favor of a more freeform sound tapestry. But again, regardless of format, those washed out horns keep the movement going. I particularly enjoyed the work of the horns on “Lost,” with its bizarre noises as minimal accompaniment. It stood out to me specifically because mush of the track is rather atonal and noisy but the incorporation of the horns makes a captivating juxtaposition that I especially liked.