SLIPDRIVE: Cosmos Redshift 7         DL  Self Released

It seems like a small age since I last heard anything from Keef Baker.  Of course he has been busy playing live for other acts since sadly folding his main project (under his own name) and he has dipped his toes in other work; but it has been four years since the debut Slipdrive album ‘River of Heaven’, making this latest output long overdue.

Opening with ‘The End of the Beginning of Nothing’, you are immediately drawn into the loading bay where Slipdrive’s shuttle has been docked all these years; ready to embark on Baker’s journey through Galaxies unknown, to the tune of crystal clear synth lines that provide the interstellar pathways and direction of travel.

Keef as always, enforces on the listener his unquestionable skills with approach to melody and clinical precision of beat work.  Just enough space is given between track layering for pads to slide and weave with dramatic hook-lines to snare and pull the listener along for the ride.

‘Cosmos Redshift 7’ has a duality to it.  One that perfectly compliments the debut thematically speaking, whilst also touching on areas he has visited long before on his dissolved main output (with more than a touch of ‘Redeye’ to the mix).  This is a joy to hear, but also begs a question as to whether he could be coerced into revitalising the past once more and picking up the mantle he discarded long ago now.

As a whole, this is unsurprisingly, a great album that displays maturity and attention to detail as with all of Baker’s works; and one you should hunt out at all costs.

9.5/10