ASKING FOR A FRIEND

Lawrence Hart’s <i>ASKING FOR A FRIEND</i> arrives seven months after his debut album, <i>Come in Out of the Rain</i>. Where the London producer’s first full-length leaned into emotion and ambiance in its quest for connection, this sonics-first mixtape is more for movement than reflection. He also invites fellow producers Giulia Tess, Meg Ward and Mera Bhai to the party. Playing out with the seamlessness of a DJ set, <i>ASKING FOR A FRIEND</i> is looser and sweatier. It opens with “HYPERSTATE” and “LOSE CONTROL”, restless tracks teetering on the edge of unravelling in their climb toward ecstasy. From there, more textures emerge: The classic house of “THEN YOU’LL KNOW” erupts into blown-out techno fuzz, “JUST BELIEVE” channels Burial’s spectral groove, and “TRYING” ascends to a sky-high level of serenity. While moments of melancholy and vulnerability weave throughout the record, the hands-in-the-air euphoria of closing track “LIVING WITHOUT U” is pure release.