Once upon a time, it was considered a novelty for the casual listener to cover all corners of the record store. With the replacement of the physical store with the Web-based one, the analog record with the digital file, listeners' tastes exploded and began including anything with a discernible bit rate. Unsurprisingly, many of today's budding producers burst with ideas, but with a nervous hustle akin to downtown Tokyo's billboard sensory overload. Which makes TM Juke a natural standout, even among his grown'n sexy Tru Thoughts peers. Instead of rifling listlessly through bins of influences, "The Man" embraces his whiskey-soaked name, slowing the pace and lightening the density. Forward is an aptly spare title for the maturing musician's sophomore effort. A map-full of beats, collaborators (notably labelmate and shouter Alice Russell, for whom Juke produced her My Favourite Letters LP), and instruments bow to his intuition to create a digestible and memorable work.

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Artist: http://www.tmjuke.co.uk/

Label: http://www.ubiquityrecords.com/