The Acid, Liminal Review

Not often do a band come from absolute obscurity and release an album as precise and perfected as Liminal. Australian folkster Ry X has joined forces with DJ Adam Freeland and Steve Naplea to make The Acid, an electronic group that have been keeping their ears pinned to the recent UK electronic scene. Influences throughout the album can be traced from James Blake, The xx and Alt-J and not once do you hear something and think "eh it's been done".

Liminal is a fantastically atmospheric album from the beginning, what feels like a spaced out sample of King Krule's 'Foreign 2' then evolves into a spacious track with drips of feedback at soulful feedback. Ry X vocals are on the edge of haunting and affected, but without desire to be obtuse (which is where many left field groups fall short).  What makes Liminal so superb is the progressiveness that makes many tracks even danceable. When live you just know that The Acid are going to make you want to dance, instead of instinctively nodding along thinking about Instagram filters and where you can buy good falafel.

The song Ra instantly clicks with me, gentle riffs add a personal touch to an album which could easily be mistaken as icey or impersonal. The track Ghost could easily have been lifted from any of Grimes' albums which is never a bad thing, but with lyrics bordering on sexual harassment I want to touch you, ghost send a shiver down your spine that isn't all too pleasant. Clean leads the way for atmospheric music, a path paved by French producer Gesaffelstein (creator of Yeezy anthem Black Skinhead). Clean is a standout amongst the rest, only topped by the insatiably freaky Creeper. Creeper is a brother to Every Step You Take by Sting with lines like I wanna love you like a creeper knows. The stuttering bass creates a ravey banger that turns Liminal into something amazing.

Stream Liminal Here