The producer with the coolest (and slightly elongated) moniker in music is Orlando Higginbottom. He is one of Britain’s most raved about young dance acts to come out of the woodwork in the past few years. His debut album Trouble, is his attempt at making a dance album with “some shelf-life” and while the producer doesn’t quite achieve this, he certainly gets points for trying.
Trouble is distinctly full of fresh house beats that are unparalleled by any other dance act currently going round. With each one of his engrossing and emotive singles from the past two years included here, you’d think that the record would be solid from start to finish.
Higginbottom’s aim was to craft an LP that wasn’t just remembered for those few songs that get airplay, inevitably though, nothing lives up to the height of those singles.
Tracks like ‘Household Goods’, ‘Your Love’ and ‘Garden’ are infectious dance songs with substance, but too many others have the complexities, but lack the outright contagiousness that would get you to the dance-floor; or at the very least, make a lasting impression.
‘American Dream II’ is closer to the rave end of the club spectrum while ‘Closer’ and ‘Fair’ are decisively more mellow.
Trouble is consistent in its aim, but at times lacks in execution. An hour’s worth of fourteen tracks becomes tiresome as the songs blur together on occasion, too many are indistinctive to really hold your attention for the full sixty minutes.
When TEED gets it right however, it’s undeniably something special. Higginbottom has the style to make a dance album that will be remembered for a long time. Trouble isn’t it, but you get the feeling that next time around he might just pull it off.
– Corey Tonkin
