As far back as 2008, David Kennedy (as Ramadanman) was a leading light in the second wave of dubstep as it mutated towards house and techno.
As Pearson Sound, he has consolidated his position as one of the UK’s most respected DJs and producers, but this long-awaited debut album is something of a let-down.
Kennedy's music has always been minimal, working on the interplay between rhythm and space, but while key tracks like Blimey, Clutch and Starburst did a lot with very little, much of Pearson Sound is just too studied – and austere – for its own good.
It's a cheerless 45 minutes, which would be fine if it were more rhythmically engaging, but inspiration is in short supply, and mood pieces such as Gristle and Headless drag it down. In fact, only the pneumatic Rubber Tree ranks among Kennedy's best work.
