Words NATASHA KMETO
Oh, Andy Stott, how I love thee. Luxury Problems is still easily one of my favorite albums. When the first single for Faith In Strangers came out this year I was instantly floored. “Violence” was one of my absolute favorite tracks of 2014. It’s beautiful bleakness calls out to my ever existing desire for music to be dark, tortured and yet vividly beautiful. This track makes me want to dance, fuck in a dungeon, and curl up under a blanket with headphones on, all at the same time. A brilliantly delicate lead synth line hooks you in first, then Alison Skidmore’s haunting vocals draw you in further. It’s hard to put into words how satisfying it is when the gorgeously distorted and compressed drums come in. Ooo, heaven for my ears.
I had the pleasure seeing Andy play this track live, on a big sound system, at Decibel Festival this year and it was an utterly visceral experience. So many great songs were released this year, but Andy Stott always finds a way to cut through to my soul and help me feel not so alone.
Natasha Kmeto’s latest album is due out early next year through Dave Sitek’s Federal Prism imprint. Check out some of the singer/producer’s woozy techno-pop work—including a complete stream of her last LP, ‘Crisis’—and floor-filling DJ mixes below…
