Roger Sellers, AKA Bayonne, is back with his new album Drastic Measures. The Texan artist is known for  using loops as the base of his songs. This go-to writing technique, which uses layers of repetition to achieve a wall of sound, has been hit or miss since the birth of the technology. This LP is a perfect example of its strengths and limitations, with some songs subtly entrancing you in the repetition, while in other tracks the repeating mundanity bubbles up to the brink of irritation.

Looking to plump up the sound with vibrant dynamics, Sellers has seasoned the album with a lot of analogue elements. But with heavy reverb and wide, airy production assigned to acoustic instruments, many tracks lack any organic feeling. Songs like Same and Kind, even with grand piano loops and guitar, are flat and easily forgotten.

There seems to be an intention to create a vibe on this album, rather than striking any sort of emotive chord. And although it is a touch boring it does achieve its desired aim. You can imagine the galloping sound of Abilia played over an indie movie trailer, while Enders does bring up very tranquil images of tropical beaches and glistening beds of water.

Uncertainly Deranged picks things up, not only in BPM. There are also some great riffs layered on top of exciting tribal-like percussion, with explosive drum fills that pop straight out from under the atmospheric production. The outro to the song is the high point of the record with nearly every instrument finding its own rhythm, resulting in a glorious groove.

While the album is mostly flat in dynamics, it is coloured earnestly and skilfully, with some notable hooks speckled throughout. Nevertheless, it plays like an album more at place in the background, with very little to grab a hold of.