Martyn
Ghost People

The second album, as we all know, is an important test for any artist, especially if the first release had shaken up the existing canon and pointed to new horizons for a young and not yet mature genre like dubstep. Indeed, Martyn fits perfectly into this condition. The Dutch producer, in 2009, caught everyone's attention with the splendid "Great Lengths", which with its mix of techno and futuristic dub surprised with its foresight, being nothing less than a debut record.

Two years later, Martyn joins the Brainfeeder of the little genius Flying Lotus and releases "Ghost People", enjoying undoubtedly better distribution than in the past. What stands out about the second effort of Martijn Deijkers is the substantial change in style: while "Great Lengths" impressed with its variety and atmospheres, "Ghost People" represents what Allmusic calls "an immersive headphone listen". Beyond the greater homogeneity and the definite nod towards the dancefloor, it is the profound work on sound and its preference over melody construction that constitute the principal stylistic trademark of the new Martyn album. And this is probably the main reason for discussion (and division) among the album's critics and admirers.

Let's start by saying that in "Ghost People" there are no tracks that will make you jump out of your seat and shout masterpiece; no "All These Worlds" or "Far Away", to be clear, but a personal tribute to the old school techno that still sounds current and will probably appeal more to insiders (DJs and producers first and foremost) than to the listener wanting to venture into a new and unexplored universe. It's hard to choose tracks that synthesize Martyn's shift (for some, far too unexpected): undoubtedly, the single "Masks", where layered and psychedelic sounds gradually add to the minimal beat that forms the backbone of the track, followed by the broken drums and kaleidoscope of "Distortions" and the excellent "Popgun", which with its percussive stride, synthetic strings, and sporadic vocal samples is undoubtedly one of the best tracks. The second half of the album more or less reprises the same ingredients, with voices, murmurs, and sounds that seem to come from a Roland TR-909 used in 1992: material that will send club-culture lovers into ecstasy and a bit less those who expected another work to listen to quietly, seated in an armchair with closed eyes. However, good Martyn does not lose spirit and closes the album with a gem that pleases everyone: "We Are You In The Future", a space/time odyssey with continuous variations, a summary of the last twenty years of techno that closely recalls the search for melody that characterized "Great Lengths".

As often happens, the truth lies somewhere in the middle in this case as well: "Ghost People" is neither a masterpiece nor a complete disappointment, but a work in which Martyn tries to renew himself and present himself under a new guise. Undoubtedly his courage must be appreciated; however, a certain stagnation and the short overall length (a little over 45 minutes) mean that the second album from the Dutch DJ and producer doesn't fully meet expectations and, above all, doesn't withstand comparison with its excellent predecessor.

Rating: 3.5