Rating: NNNN
If you’ve been following Jokers of the Scene’s career since their early days, you know that the Toronto-based DJ/producers have been steadily moving away from the pumpy, big-room electro sound of their first releases. Even so, the ambient and experimental focus of their debut full-length is surprising at first, although not unwelcome. Far too many LPs by dance artists feel more like compilations of singles than proper albums, but End Scene has a strong narrative.
Rather than simply bouncing between genres to showcase their wide range of influences, every song brings together elements from a range of styles. It feels like a love letter to the larger history of atmospheric electronic music, from vintage sci-fi soundtracks to shoegazer pop to classic deep house. There is a strong sense of nostalgia throughout, but more for a vintage vision of the future than for the actual past.
Top track: Channels For Success
