Hypnagogia

Hypnagogia

On his third solo album, and his first since 2011’s Black Square, UK producer Bnjmn, a.k.a. Ben Thomas, sounds more focused—and more hopeful—than ever. He still bears traces of techno’s dark side, his hypnotic machine grooves streaked with graphite and accented with mournful synths. But the lo-fi murk of early releases has cleared, and he’s eased off the walloping rhythms of his more floor-oriented EPs. “Hypnagogia” and “Hypnagogia Pt. 2,” the album’s most forceful tracks, balance stern drum work with tones that shift as subtly as sunsets, while the sleeker “Titan Dome” and “Theta Wave” deploy intricate hi-hat patterns and glowing pads recalling early Autechre. And on “Glowed” and “Over White Peaks,” he jettisons the beats entirely, soaking in the melancholy splendor of gracefully floating synths.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada