After his rather ambitious ‘Project X’ album, Nick Hopkin has now reverted to his tried and trusted formula of tuneful electronica. ‘Reflections’ clocks in at a slim twenty eight minutes and its serene outlook gives the impression that Hopkin is at peace with himself.
Pleasant though they are, the opening couplet of ‘The Glass Lake’ and ‘Give To You’ represent the kind of fluffy, idealist electronica which you expect to hear on relaxation tapes. The considerably grander ‘Break Down The Walls’ raises the bar a little but it’s ‘Renewal’ which sums up the positive nature of the album the best; awash with lush synths, Hopkin repeats “I am renewed, I feel brand new” and this time it’s easy to get carried away by the persuasive flow of optimism. After that, the crisp and moody ‘Lost At Sea’ is the first track which reveals a sign of darkness. The theme is continued with bass guitar providing a grumbling undertow to the otherwise uplifting ‘Paragliding’ whilst the finale ‘Lunar’ adds beats and DJ vocals to make it the most modern sounding track here.
‘Reflections’ is decent electronica fare which maintains Hopkin’s record for easy on the ear melodies. Listening to it won’t change your life but it might make you slightly happier.
Web Sites:
Nick Hopkin Official Site
Nick Hopkin MySpace
Further Listening:
Royston Vince
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