Jon Hopkins
Immunity
Domino Records
London-based piano maestro Jon Hopkins’ latest, 'Immunity', is tender and raw. It is his fourth studio album, sprouting from an extensive and eclectic background as producer and musician; there is a sense of wisdom and deep emotion in the sound he has created.
Opening with 'We Disappear', familiar electrically-charged crunchy beats lay the foundation. It's harsh; a first-time listener might not get the idea, but wait until the synths smooth out and the beautiful pizzicato-piano peaks out like a diamond in the rough. Much like the opening track, 'Open Eye Signal', 'Breathe This Air' and 'Collider' are grungy, beat-driven build-ups that work on a dance-floor. Listening is like being caught in the calm chaos of a breaking wave.
'Abandon Window' sets the theme for the second half of the album, which has a softer feel. A touching theme on the piano evokes thoughts of a budding talent, like a genius with a new instrument, just finding one nice sound after the other and piecing them together gently. You have to wonder if these are harmonies that Hopkins has held onto for a long time, finally pasting them across an airy soundscape, suspending them in a cavernous dream. It is a sign of mature musicality, and his background as a brilliant pianist shines through in the simplest sounds.
'Form by Firelight' is one of the standout tracks. Its calm groove is like a slow parachute fall through the clouds before the crackle of Hopkins’ signature beats wakes you in a grating but strangely welcome-to-the-party kind of way. 'Sun Harmonics' is a masterpiece; it is the one to listen to if that’s all you have time for. It encapsulates the feel of the whole album before the coda, 'Immunity', fades through like an afterglow.
There is a lot of warmth here. If there is a theme, it seems to be Hopkins showing us the beauty (or even perfection) in imperfection. This album is like going on a hike up a steep scenic mountain trail. The ground is bumpy with jutting rocks; you’ve been walking for days, it’s not easy, but it’s stunning. You can get down to this, but what makes this album really worth listening to are the spectacular vantage points dotted along the way.