A varied album, Days Away is in essence all leftfield electronic music. There are a ton of influences - touches of Four Tet, traces of Amon Tobin an Burial - but on the whole it's different enough that, as an album, it stands on its own two feet.
A whole range of styles and genres are taken in - atmospheric breaks on 'Fixed Action Pattern', sample laden hip-hop beats on 'Mr Sniggles' House' and ambient drum n bass on 'South Without a Candle' - and Nonagon really gets the chance to show off his production skills. The problem with self-produced, self-released electronic albums is that without the knowledge and experience of a producer guiding things the result sounds flat and lakes pace.
With the help of Steve Hall, who mastered the album, Days Away confidently circumvents any such concerns. Take 'Underlayed By Reflection' for example, a near-on nine minute intelligent drum n bass track. Many well known DJs and producers would struggle within that framework yet Nonagon doesn't just deliver production that feels fresh and professional, the track is also fantastically sequenced, building and developing throughout its length.
If you are a fan of leftfield dance music you would be a fool not to at least check Days Away out. It's free to try after all.
Available to download from Bandcamp. If you enjoy this music please support the artist and pay for a higher quality download.
BP x
Album Review: Days Away - Nonagon
in album review, review