Modern Manners Vinilo y CD

Review: The third outing for Modern Manners emerges on the back of two very strong 12"s that introduced this anonymous outfit to the world. "Timeless Vibe" continues where the last release left off, building up a wonderfully cosmic bed of processed melody under which casual hand played percussion and warm bass notes can linger. "Azzahar" too keeps things pleasantly soporific with its gentle pace and lilting guitar refrains, and then "Middle East Manners" rounds this excellent trio of EPs out with a beautifully realised swirl of sounds that find focus once a kick drum starts pulsing and the percussion starts building. Quite who Modern Manners are is a mystery at this stage, but across these three 12"s they've certainly made their presence felt in the softest, most laid back of ways.

Review: Coming to life on a hazy cloud of natural instrumentation and meditative composition, Modern Manners tap into the appetite for delicate new age musings beautifully on this debut release. "Amor Y Odio" is laced with Spanish guitar musings that spiral out over a simple but effective drum break that harks back to classic downtempo, while "Running With Me" edges towards a more sprightly lounge headspace while retaining the rich musicality felt on the first track. "Instant Illusion" is propelled by a bassline that wouldn't sound out of place on a house track, but here its punching out in a subtle, laid back environment that aims to get you horizontal in the most sophisticated way possible.