Lazers Not Included

by Wilkinson

Overview

Having kicked off his career with some retro and underground 12"s ("Moonwalker" was spacey, No U-Turn or Grooverider-like stuff, while the bassline to "Refugee" was "rollin'" before the term meant "high on Molly") plus some clever Internet uploads (the low-end rhythms of "Blender Bass" and "Hoover Bass" were sourced from household appliances), London drum'n'bass artist Mark Wilkinson goes for the radio on his nice and neat, official debut Lazers Not Included. Tracks like the ever-swelling "Heartbeat" retain the producer's previous sheen plus his keen sense of song structure, but with vocalist Arlissa delivering the hook and rapper P Money delivering the flash, the prime sound of the big room is obtained while fans who prefer it "strictly underground" go hungry. "Take You Higher" is a rave-inspired grinder that shoots fireworks and comes with a cheeky, bloopy synth; then there's "Need to Know" with vocalist Iman which sounds like Acen's 1992 techno floor filler "Trip II the Moon" offered in a 2013 remix from Flux Pavilion. Smoky soul meets jazzy garage music as vocalist Becky Hill relaxes in the plush wonder of "Afterglow," then there are the serene bits of "Sleepless," which float like Daft Punk on a Tangerine Dream bender, and suddenly, an album that seems like a simple hits collection stretches its legs, offering varied moods and headphone-worthy moments that beg repeat listens. This is necessary as the short run time for most tracks can be frustrating when grooves take hold and then swiftly disappear, and when it comes to clever, Wilkinson plays it straight for his debut, save the robot dominatrix vocals that deliver "Like It Hard," so stern that if you call it "camp" this Pleasurebot is likely to throw you on the torture table. Still, all these decisions seem sure, and when an "Erotic City"-vibe mixes with steel drums ("Need You"), or a Depeche Mode-styled melody sends angels flying about the room ("Let Me Be Free"), it's obvious that Wilkinson's version of going pop is much more filling and thrilling than the competition. ~ David Jeffries

Product Details

Release Date:	10/20/2023
Label:	Ram Records / Warner Music
UPC:	4050538911701
Rank:	63851

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Wilkinson   Primary Artist
Naughty Boy   Primary Artist
K.Flay   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Detour City   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Tom Cane   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Arlissa   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
P Money   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
P-Money   Primary Artist
Iman   Primary Artist,Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Talay Riley   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Mark Taylor   Composer,Composer
Kristine Flaherty   Composer
Mustafa Omer   Composer
Shahid Khan   Composer
Andrea Martin   Composer
Tom Havelock   Composer
Becky Hill   Composer
Paris Moore–Williams   Composer
Arlissa Ruppert   Composer
James Murray   Composer
Patrick Miscall   Composer
Mark Wilkinson   Composer
Jonathan Pearn   Composer
Tabitha Benjamin   Composer
Luke Juby   Composer
Talay Riley   Composer
Cameron Thomaz   Composer
Brad Ellis   Composer
Michael Gray   Composer,Composer
Anthony Moriah   Composer
Iman Osman   Composer